The Wrath of Koh
by A Voice in the Desert
Summary: Four years after Sozin's Comet the Gaang travels to the Fire Nation for a reunion. Katara is captured, Azula escapes, and Koh seems bent on entering the mortal world! What will the Gaang do? Who is this new mysterious character? Tokka/Kataang. COMPLETE!
1. Reminisces and Reunions

**First of all, thank you for taking a look at my story. If this is your first time here I would urge you to be patient with the first couple chapters--they serve to set the scene for the later chapters but do not have much in the way of direct plot. They do, however, have important background into the happenings in the past 4 years since Sozin's Comet, and hopefully they provide a little amusement as well. Thanks again and hope you enjoy!**

**I don't own A:TLA so please don't sue me**

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The Wrath of Koh

**Prologue**

_Click, clack, click, clack_. The footsteps of the cloaked man echoed through the dark tunnel as he sidestepped with ease the puddles of dingy, cold water that pock-marked the treacherous path. He paused for a moment at the precipice of a narrow, winding staircase that led deeper and deeper into the earth, before continuing on toward his destination. His way was weakly lit by sparse patches of crystal that lined the staircase and gave off a faint glow as he descended into the gloom below. Upon reaching the bottom he strode down the hallway only to hesitate before entering the chamber at the end. The chamber, with its high ceiling and thick stone pillars, was actually an ancient cavern dotted with huge crystal formations and a small rivulet of water that snaked its way through the center. On the far side, between two especially large crystal formations was a crude stone platform, upon which sat a large pool of pure, clean water. Taking three quick steps inside, he spotted a lone figure garbed in black, staring directly into the pool, muttering to himself. Immediately the man stopped, dropping to his knees, his back parallel to the rocky ground with his arms outstretched, palms up in a gesture of fealty. As he stretched forward, the sleeves of his cloak slid up, revealing a long tattoo on his right forearm. The tattoo, a black centipede that snaked its way completely around his forearm and ended in his palm, almost glowed in the faint light. After about fifteen minutes, the figure that was leaning over the pool straightened, "It is time," he said simply, not turning around. "Yes master," answered the prone figure, slowly rising and walking out the way he came. The lone figure in the room smiled before speaking into the pool, "The plan is in motion, it won't be long now…"

* * *

**Reminisces and Reunions**

"Kataaaaarrrrrraaaaaa, hurry up, we're going to be late," yelled her older brother Sokka from the adjoining room.

"I'll be there in a minute Sokka, I just have to decide what clothes I want to bring. I haven't seen Aang for over a month and I want to make sure I've got everything," answered Katara.

"Katara you've packed and re-packed everything you own three times now. I'm sure you have what you need. Besides, I've been packed for over an hour now, and we still have to pick up Toph from her parents' home in Gaoling before we head over to the Royal Palace. You know what happened last year when we were late to Zuko's Peace Celebration."

"Yeah, whatever, I he can get his royal shorts in a knot like last time for all I care. Now come here and help me carry my stuff." She asked as he poked his head into her room.

Sokka sighed as she handed him three suitcases while she merely slung a small travel bag over her shoulder. "I'm just glad your boyfriend was nice enough to send Appa, because without him there is no way we would ever get to the fire nation," he quipped, trudging toward door.

Katara merely smiled as she led the way outside, "Appa, wake up sleepy," she called. Hearing a grunt from behind, she turned to see Sokka, laden with her suitcases, stagger out the door and into a snow drift. He collapsed in a heap, silently scowling at his sister.

At long last, Katara was able to coax the giant sky-bison out of his slumber and convince him to amble over to Sokka, who begrudgingly began loading the luggage into the saddle. "Ok Katara, that looks like the last of it. Now let's go before we fall any farther behind schedule."

Katara rolled her eyes, her brother and his schedule were inseparable—unless he was hungry—in which case nothing was more important than his food. She began to climb aboard Appa when she heard a familiar voice behind her call, "You weren't going to leave without saying goodbye to me, were you?"

"Dad!" Katara cried, leaping down from Appa, "I thought you were still out fishing with Bato. When did you get back?"

"Just now," he answered, "I wanted to make sure I was back to see you kids off."

Katara laughed, "We're not kids anymore dad. I'm nineteen and Sokka is twenty, and we were on our own for almost a year when we went off with Aang."

"Believe me," Hakoda chuckled, "I missed you two so much during that time. I don't want anything like that to ever happen again. Now go on, I understand you two have a schedule to keep and someone has a boyfriend waiting for them."

"Thanks dad," Katara said, pulling her father into a fond embrace, "We'll miss you."

"Yeah, me too," agreed Sokka, giving his dad a hug as well. "I'll be sure to send Hawky when we reach the palace. Now come on Katara, we're already late as it is."

Hakoda's brow furled in thought as he watched them depart, trying to remember his family before the fire nation had taken away their mother. So much had changed since that day, the war had become personal, it had no longer been simply a clash between strangers in faraway lands—it was distinctly and wholly different. It had torn his family apart, forced him to leave his young son to defend a village of women and children against trained soldiers, forced his daughter to hide her greatest talent, her water bending, and caused him to lose the woman he loved. And for that, and that alone, he hated the fire nation and the war they started.

The four years since the passing of Sozin's Comet had done little to temper Hakoda's inner fire, but with the coronation of Fire Lord Zuko, he sensed that the world could finally begin to head in the right direction with the goal of peace—a goal the Fire Lord had often spoke of and promised.

However, despite all of the turmoil and angst the war had caused, he could not help but smile when he looked upon his eldest son and his sister. In the past four years, Sokka had grown and matured so much. He was now only a few inches shorter than his father and his shoulders had broadened considerably. His body had filled out nicely and he now had enough muscle to warrant the constant looks into the mirror he so enjoyed. He had opted to forgo his trademark ponytail—or warrior's wolftail as he affectionately called it—in favor of a longer, shaggier look that covered most of his ears and was similar to his father's. He was trying to grow a goatee as well, but so far it only looked like scruff. He still shared his father's love for fighting, as he always carried his boomerang and sword with him, and, for whatever reason, a taste for stewed sea prunes, but his love for his family, especially his little sister, burned stronger than ever.

Katara hadn't grown much more than another inch or two since the end of the war, but Hakoda couldn't help the pang in his heart he sometimes got when, at a glance, she reminded him of his wife, Kya. Her dark, chocolate brown hair stretched over half way down her back as it fluttered in the wind as she climbed aboard Appa. In remembrance of her childhood years, she had kept the 'hair loopies', as Sokka so often teased, and continued to wear her blue robes over her usual water bending attire. As she finally slung her legs over and into Appa's large saddle, Hakoda could not help but notice how much she had matured. The easy grace with which she carried herself emphasized the inner strength she had always had while her lithe body reflected the years of hard training it had taken to completely master water bending. As the curves of her body stood out, silhouetted against the rising sun, Hakoda could not help but feel proud as he waved at the departing forms of his children as they disappeared over the horizon.

* * *

Toph Bei Fong waited anxiously in the garden of her parents' expansive estate in Gaoling, ears peeled for the distinctive rumble of a certain giant, flying bison. Just as the blind earthbender was beginning to lose patience she felt the vibrations and heard the footsteps of one of her parents' many servants approaching from behind her.

"Lady Toph," he began, "you know your parents don't like you roaming the garden unsupervised." At this he held up his hands in a placating gesture, even though Toph couldn't see it, before continuing, "And I realize you are perfectly capable of handling yourself, but they insisted that I either convince you to come back inside or that I stay here with you."

"Take a seat," she growled, earthbending a small platform from the ground beside her, "And while you're at it, tell me if you see my ride coming."

After sitting for a bit, Toph sighed, reflecting on her predicament. It seemed the only people who refused to see her for who she really was—the world's greatest earthbender—not the blind, helpless girl her parents thought she was, existed outside the walls of the estate. Her parents, despite her travels with the avatar, her part in the defeat of Phoenix King Ozai, refused to see her much differently than they had before she had runaway.

They had, however, made a few concessions and allowed Toph to practice her earthbending, even to the point where they let her train a few students a couple times a week. They had also expressly forbidden Toph from participating in any further Earth Rumble tournaments, a notion to which Toph had merely smiled and nodded like the perfect daughter she was supposed to be. Of course, on the night of Earth Rumble VIII, Toph donned her Blind Bandit disguise—which ironically wasn't much of a disguise after the war—and proceeded to kick the butt of anyone who dared oppose her in the ring.

This, however, had lost some of its novelty and now she was simply looking forward to spending time with her best friends without her parents hovering over her, or trying to dump her off on one of the many suitors that came, seeking a way into the Bei Fong's wealth. She'd lost track of the number of men she'd been forced to listen to droll on about how they could provide protection and comfort for "poor blind and helpless Toph."

After a couple of late nights, she'd given serious consideration to simply acceding to her parents' wishes and going off with the next man she met, but never quite had the courage. She wanted to be with someone who appreciated her for who she was and not simply her family's wealth.

At this point Toph stopped her reminiscing and sighed again, "But no one is ever going to like a blind girl like me," she mumbled, "I'll never make a man's heart beat like Aang's does when he sees Katara. I'll always be the poor, unattractive blind girl who will be nothing but a burden on whoever she marries."

"I'm sorry, did you say something Lady Toph?" asked the servant who had been previously daydreaming on the platform next to her.

"I didn't say anything, stupid," Toph said quickly, slightly embarrassed that she had spoken her thoughts aloud, "Keep watching for that bison and tell me the minute you see him."

"Of course Lady To—wait! I think I see something!" exclaimed the servant, "Yes that has to be them! I've never seen anything like it, but that has to be a sky bison. It looks like they should be here in just a couple minutes."

"Finally!" Toph exclaimed, jumping up from her own seat, head turned toward the direction she perceived her two friends and their giant sky bison to be coming from, and eagerly awaited their familiar vibrations.

After what seemed like an extremely long five minutes, Toph finally felt and heard Appa's six feet hit the ground. Almost immediately following Appa's landing were two loud thumps as Sokka and Katara leapt from Appa's back. Before Toph could say anything, she was lifted off her feet and enveloped in a crushing hug. Letting out a very un-Tophlike squeal of delight, she hugged the other person fiercely. She hadn't realized how much she had missed her friends and their companionship. Being cooped up inside her estate with only her parents and their servants to talk to had left her starving for attention and affection—even if she wouldn't admit that to anyone.

"Alright Ponytail, you can put me down now," laughed Toph, turning her head away so he couldn't see her slight blush, "I missed you too." When he didn't release her immediately, Toph pulled back and punched his arm.

"You know," Sokka replied, rubbing his bicep gingerly, "I'm not Ponytail anymore. I've grown my hair out a little, so," he teased before she could protest, "I'm not sure you can call me Ponytail anymore."

Toph snorted, "You'll always be Ponytail to me, Ponytail. Now come here Sugar Queen, I haven't seen you in a while either."

Katara had been standing back, marveling at how well her brother and Toph always seemed to get along. No matter how long they were apart, they always picked up right where they left off.

Smiling at one of Toph's many nicknames for Sokka; she gladly acceded to Toph's request and pulled the diminutive earthbender into a hug. She did notice, when Toph pulled back, that she had most definitely grown a couple inches the past year and now the top of her head reached her nose, rather than Katara's chin as it had when they had previously seen her. She also perceived, during their hug, that although Toph still wore her loose fitting blind bandit outfit, her body had taken undeniable steps toward womanhood. Her raven dark hair was up in its usual bun, and she still wore the space earth bracelet that Sokka had given her on the upper portion of her left arm. Katara also observed wryly that Sokka, with his usual, but almost always unintentional, callousness, noticed none of this.

Pulling away from Toph, she looked down at the smaller girl, exclaiming, "Toph! It's great to see you! How have you been? What have you been up to? Are you ready to go?"

The barrage of questions continued until Toph's hand shot up, covering Katara's mouth. "Whoa, slow down there Sugar Queen, one question at a time please."

However, before she could continue and answer Katara's questions, she was interrupted Sokka who exclaimed, "Katara, we need to leave now. We're already behind schedule." Turning to Toph, he asked, "Are your bags packed? Please don't tell me you brought your whole wardrobe like Katara did. I mean, you can if you want, but I'm not sure Appa can carry much more."

Laughing at her friend's slightly dysfunctional train of thought, Toph shook her head, "We can never manage to quite fit into your plans can we, oh great and powerful schedule-master?"

"No!" exclaimed Sokka, completely missing Toph's sarcasm, "I mean how hard is it to ask? If we just followed my plans, we'd never be late for anything."

"And we'd also have no time for food or bathroom breaks either," snorted Katara.

"That's not true," Sokka protested, "I told you that we would be just fine if we combined our food and bathroom breaks, but for some reason no one thought that was a good idea."

Katara rolled her eyes, "Toph, are you ready to go?" she asked.

"I've been ready to go for an hour now," she answered, frowning, "Now where did I put my luggage?"

The servant, who had been standing quietly out of the way stepped forward, bowed and said, "I believe you left them in your room. Would you like me to get them for you Lady Toph?"

Behind her, Sokka snorted, barely holding back a laugh, "Yes please," she answered the servant before turning to Sokka, "And what, pray tell, is so funny?"

"Nothing," Sokka choked, "Absolutely nothing, _Laaady_ Toph." Sokka began to bend at the waist in an imitation of the servant's bow, but he immediately found his legs, knee deep in the earth and at eye level with a very irritated earthbender.

"And why is that so funny?" she growled.

Unperturbed, Sokka continued in his "fancy" voice, "May I get you a slice of moon peach, Madame Fancy Fingers? Or maybe some cheese and crackers?"

Toph shifted her feet, bending Sokka another foot into the ground, "Whatever you say Ponytail," she said, sticking her tongue out at Sokka in a very unladylike fashion. As she was turning to walk away from the now immobilized Sokka, Toph felt the servant approaching with her luggage.

"Here is your luggage, Lady Toph," he said, "Would you like me to put it aboard the bison?" Behind her, Sokka chuckled again.

Grinning mischievously, Toph answered, "No thank you, my escort will load my bags."

"Your escort…?" he questioned.

"Yes," she explained, grabbing Sokka's ear and pulling from the hole he was in, "Who did you think this imbecile was?"

"Well, I thought he was your frie—" but before he could finish, Toph had already turned and begun to climb Appa's shaggy leg and clamber into the saddle above.

Turning from her perch atop Appa, Toph clapped her hands twice, "Come now, mister escort, we mustn't keep the Fire Lord waiting."

"Of course, _Lady_ Toph," Sokka growled, picking up Toph's suitcase and throwing it up to his sister, "Your wish is my command."

Katara, hoping to break the tension laughed, "Come on you two, lighten up. We need to get to the fire nation in one piece. And besides," she added for Sokka's benefit, "I'm sure there will lots of food at the party when we get there."

Argument with Toph immediately forgotten, Sokka leaned back in the saddle, dreaming about all the meat he was going to get to eat, not even stopping to notice when Toph took her usual place next to him, her arm hooked around his right.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Come on Appa, yip yip," she called, sending the giant bison into sky, leaving Gaoling far behind them.

**(A/N: This is my first story that I'm posting here so I would love to know what you think. I have more written already but am still working on much of it. This is going to be a decently long, multi-chaptered fic. Hope you enjoy it! Please Read and Review!)**


	2. Of Dreams and Reality

**Ok, here's my second chapter, sorry it took a bit but I ended up writing a quick two-shot for Taang week. Also, I wanted to thank the people that reviewed my story, I really appreciate the comments and would love to hear from more of you.**

**Sorry if this chapter is more character development and less plot but I wanted to develop the Gaang and establish how the world has changed since then end of the war. My next chapter may be slightly more of the same, but after that it'll move along.**

**Also, ****I don't own ATLA.**

**So, without further ado, here's the chapter...**

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****Of Dreams and Reality**

"And, largely due to Fire Lord Zuko's aid, we have been able to restore large portions of both Omashu and Ba Sing Se to their original state. However, much of Ba Sing Se's lower ring is still in shambles and many of the small towns around the Earth Kingdom still need our aid. I suggest we allocate more resources to the restoration of the lower ring and send troops along with our relief workers out into the countryside. There is still the possibility of guerilla attacks from soldiers still loyal to the former Fire Lord Ozai. We cannot take the chance of losing anymore supplies when so many people need our help."

Aang sighed, tired of hearing report after report, each officer demanding more troops or additional supplies. General How's request was nothing new, but there was simply nothing anyone could do. There were no extra supplies, and no more troops to go around. The war had taken its toll on more than just the people and their cities; it had decimated acres upon acres of farmland and drained much their reserves as well.

Being the avatar, Aang was asked to attend these semi-annual peace meetings and updates on the restoration of the world; however, these meetings, which were only supposed to last two weeks, often stretched much longer. Leaning forward and resting his bald head on an upraised forearm, Aang tried to pay attention to the rest of General How's report, but, despite his best efforts, his thoughts kept drifting to Katara and the upcoming celebration. He couldn't wait to see her again and hold her in his arms; he missed her smile and simply gazing into her azure blue eyes.

Beginning to nod off, Aang let his head drop and was about to set it on the table when Zuko stepped on his foot—hard. Jerking his head up, Aang realized that everyone at the long rectangular table was staring at him. Fire Lord Zuko, who was seated immediately to Aang's left, stared meaningfully at Aang. Realizing he had obviously missed something, Aang smiled sheepishly, his hand idly scratching the nape of his neck, and asked, "Can you repeat the question please?"

General How, who was standing and had apparently just finished his report on the state of the Earth Kingdom, looked slightly annoyed but reiterated, "I was asking our _esteemed_ avatar if he had suggestions on how to better protect our supply patrols. We are routinely losing one of every five patrols we send to the outer reaches of our nation, and often times it takes weeks before the soldiers are able to stumble back to Ba Sing Se and report the loss. As a result, many of our towns are simply not getting supplied and this, frankly, is unacceptable."

Aang thought for a moment, perplexed, until he suddenly had an epiphany. "I've got it!" he exclaimed. Everyone in the room turned, looking at him expectantly. "Ok here's what we should do: remember the caterpillar tanks Teo's father designed that we used to invade the fire nation on the Day of Black Sun? Why don't we use these same tanks to protect both our troops and their supplies? Because the guerillas rely so heavily on the element of surprise, the tanks will neutralize that ability while providing our soldiers with some much needed protection!"

General How stroked his chin thoughtfully, "You know, that just might work," he concluded. "Thank you Avatar Aang, I will look into procuring some of these tanks." Sitting down, General How ceded the floor to yet another officer who immediately stood up and began talking about the declining economy of Omashu.

Aang sat back, content to let the rest of the meeting play out without him, thinking back to Katara and eagerly awaiting her arrival.

* * *

"Snoozles, wake up," Toph called, shaking a still sleeping Sokka, "Snoozles," she tried again, "we'll be there soon, you have to get up."

"Not now 'Tara," Sokka mumbled, "Just let me sleep a few more minutes, then I'll get up and help you with breakfast."

Toph rolled her eyes and socked him hard in arm. "Owwww, Toooooph," Sokka groaned, "Why did you do that? Couldn't you've just woke me up like any normal person?"

"No Sokka," Katara answered for her, "you can sleep through anything. Now come up here and take the reins so I can have a break. We should be in the fire nation in about an hour."

Grudgingly, Sokka acceded to his sister's request, crawled to Appa's head, and took the reins. Almost immediately after leaning back against Appa's soft fur, he began snoring loudly.

Katara looked from her brother, who was now sound asleep, to Toph who had her feet propped on the edge of the saddle and both hands behind her head. She was sleeping too, snoring almost as loud as Sokka. Katara sighed, "Reduced to babysitting again," she muttered. Shrugging, she leaned back and simply looked out over the countryside, soon lost in thoughts of Aang.

* * *

Back in his room, finally finished with meetings for the day, Aang tossed his shirt aside and flopped back onto his bed. He luxuriated in the feel of the smooth, cool, silk sheets as they slid over his bare back, a small sigh of pleasure escaping from his lips.

Rolling over, a small, hard object bit into his hip. Almost instinctively, he slipped his hand into his pocket and withdrew a small, round stone. It was a very unique stone, unlike any Aang had ever seen, but that was not what made it so special. The stone, if one could even call it that, was a light blue color, but instead of being completely opaque like a traditional stone, it was mostly clear with a few specks in the middle. It was more like a piece of blown glass than a stone.

On the face of the stone Aang had carved the three small swirls of the element air in the traditional inverted triangle formation; however, he had spread them apart so he was able to put the cresting wave of the element water in the middle. On the surface it symbolized simply how Katara would always be the center of his life and heart, but more than that, it was his vow to do whatever it took to protect her and be there for her. He leaned back and smiled, remembering how he had come by the stone…

_It had been about three weeks ago, before the rigorous schedule of meetings he had to attend, when he had taken Appa for a quick trip to the Western Air Temple. Originally, he planned the trip as a way to relax and further explore the temple, but after a couple days of quiet meditation and exploration, he found himself thinking back to everything that had transpired before the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai. _

_He remembered waking up in the Southern Water Tribe to Katara's inquisitive but smiling face. He thought back to their trip to the Southern Air Temple and how Katara was there for him as he grieved over the death of Monk Gyotsu, and how the two of them and Sokka had traveled all over the world in their quest to find a water bending master. He shuddered in memory of his first fire bending and how he had blatantly ignored Master Jeong Jeong's instructions and, as a result, burned Katara. It was something he would never—probably could never—forgive himself for, but Katara somehow managed to see passed his shortcomings; she managed to forgive what he could not. _

_He smiled at the memory of their first kiss in the Cave of Two Lovers, blushed when he remembered his reaction to the dress she wore to the ball in Ba Sing Se, and had his heart swell with pride when he thought of how much she had done for him when he had been hit with Azula's lightning. He could not believe that such a girl—a girl with a heart bigger than that of a lion-turtle—would ever so much as notice, let alone date, him. _

_She had always been there for him, through his struggles with Appa, to his fears before the invasion, she never left his side. Kissing her before the Invasion had been more than just a way of releasing his pent up emotions, it had been a way of saying thank you for everything she had done. He hadn't been sure until after the war if she returned his feelings, but, after their kiss at the Jasmine Dragon in Ba Sing Se, he couldn't imagine being with anyone else._

_Sitting there next to the fountain in the Western Air Temple, all of these thoughts and memories came to him in rush, and, like being slapped in the face by one of Katara's water whips, he realized something that should have been obvious to him long before now. From the time he had first laid eyes on her, she had been such a huge part of his life—a part he could not live without. _

_It was at this point that he resolved to ask Katara for her hand in marriage. He did not know when, or how, but he knew why and that was what mattered. Wandering around the Western Air Temple, both excited and apprehensive about his new-found revelation, he stumbled into a room he hadn't seen before. _

_The room was huge; pillars lined both sides creating a walkway through the middle, and when he traced his eyes up their corrugated sides, he could barely make out the ceiling high above. Most impressive, however, was the waterfall that fell from the ceiling on one side of the room. It fell between the row of _

_pillars, creating a furrow between them as the artificial river flowed from one end of the room to the other until it dropped off a ledge and down into the rooms below._

_Marveling at the spectacle, he took a closer look at the pool created near the base of the waterfall, and when he saw it, he was immediately drawn the glow that emanated from within. Kneeling down next to it, he was amazed by what he saw. Lining the inside of the pool was a bed of phosphorescent algae, and on top of the algae were the peculiar, yet beautiful, rocks. Instantly drawn to the rocks, he knew these were the stones he wanted to use for the betrothal necklace he hoped to eventually give Katara. Grabbing a handful, he sifted through them until he had found a light blue one that was a perfectly formed oval. Slipping it in his pocket, he smiled and meandered deeper into the temple._

_The following week, when he had returned to the fire nation, he had used earthbending to carefully inscribe the air and water symbols on the stone and create a small hole, through which he slipped a dark blue strand of silk. Perfect, he thought. Just perfect. Like Katara…_

Closing his eyes, Aang let sleep take him, the stress of his day slowly seeping from his body and into the sheets below.

* * *

About two hours later, Aang was awakened by a soft knock on his door, "Coming," he mumbled, slowly swinging his legs over the side of the bed and getting up. But before he was even half way there, the door burst open and Aang was bowled over Katara. The force of her hug caused him to lose his balance and take a step backward. His calves contacted the edge of the bed and, still holding Katara, he collapsed backward onto the sheets.

Smiling, but still not letting go of Aang, Katara lifted her head to look at her boyfriend. Her chocolate brown hair, having come loose from the force of her hug, spilled over her face, framing her rich, blue eyes and slightly upturned nose. "I missed you," she whispered, giving him a quick kiss.

"I missed you too," he answered, but instead of returning the peck, he deepened his kiss, reveling in the sensation, letting her know how much he had missed her—how much a part of him she truly was. Katara returned Aang's passion with some of her own, and they remained on the bed, enjoying each other's lips, until Aang, reluctantly, had to break for air.

"I love you," he whispered in her ear, his voice sending shivers down Katara's spine.

"I love you too," she answered, giving him another quick peck.

At this point, Toph and Sokka, who had respectfully agreed to give Katara a few minutes alone with her boyfriend before they came in, lost patience.

"C'mon Sugar Queen," Toph called, "you've had enough _personal time_ with Aang. We're coming in now."

Reluctantly, Katara rolled off Aang and allowed him to sit up just as Sokka and Toph came into the room. "Toph!" Aang exclaimed, "I'm so glad you were able to come. I haven't seen you in such a long time!" He quickly enclosed the blind earthbender in a tight embrace, glad to see his friend again.

"Alright Twinkletoes," she prodded, "no need to crush me. It's good to see you too."

Slowly releasing Toph and turning to greet Sokka, he was struck by how much Sokka had grown and filled out. He was no longer the scrawny warrior who he had fought alongside and known for so long, but now he was much more of man than he had ever remembered.

Sokka, now two steps inside the doorway, was standing, arching an eyebrow skeptically in the direction of his sister, who was still slightly flushed and leaning back on her elbows on the bed. "Maybe we should give you a little less _personal time_ next time," he commented wryly.

Before Katara could say anything, Aang embraced the slightly taller, but much broader, water tribe warrior. "Sokka!" he exclaimed, "I can't believe you finally made it. I've been so bored this week with all the stupid meetings. I've been looking forward to seeing you all so much."

Pulling back he squeezed Sokka's bicep experimentally, "And you're looking really good. Have you been doing some extra chin-touches lately?"

"Oh, you know, I do a few now and then," Sokka bragged, swinging his arm in a circular motion, stopping briefly to flex for them all.

Katara shook her head, _Sokka and his ego_. One comment and he was in full show-off mode.

"You know," he said thoughtfully, "all this exercise is making me hungry, why don't we get some food? Aang, where's the kitchen? Does his royal highness have any meat in this place?"

Aang laughed, "Sure Sokka, we'll all go get some food, and I'm sure there will be some meat."

"Great!" he exclaimed, "I'm starving. C'mon Toph, let's go."

"Lead the way, Muscles," she responded sarcastically, following Sokka out the door.

Aang and Katara smiled as they listened to the two of them continue down the hall.

"Why didn't you ever call me Muscles before?" Sokka questioned, "I kind of like that one. It's better than Snoozles."

"Because if I did, we would never get anywhere because you would be flexing in every mirror we see." Toph responded, "And you know how much I love mirrors."

"Would not," Sokka said, stopping to flex in the hallway mirror, totally missing Toph's sarcasm.

"See," Toph intimated meaningfully.

"Wait, how did you know I was doing that? I don't always do that. That was just an exception…"

As the voices faded away Aang looked down at Katara and smiled, "Ready to go?"

"Of course," she smiled mischievously, but instead of taking Aang's proffered hand to stand up, she grabbed it and pulled him down on top of her, "but let's wait a couple more minutes. I don't think those two will miss us."

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**Hope you liked it, please review! )**


	3. The Fire Lord and the Dress

**Here's chapter 3, a little lead up to the party. Sorry this took a bit to get up but the next chapter should be up in the next couple days. Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed my story last, I really appreciate your thoughts and would love to hear from more of you. Let me know what you think I should improve on or whatever.**

**Don't own Avatar.**

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**The Fire Lord and the Dress**

About fifteen minutes later, Aang and Katara found Toph and Sokka in the kitchen, their feet propped up on a table, eating what looked to be some kind of meat.

"Mmph," Sokka swallowed, "Katara, you should really try some of this meat, it's really good!"

"Sokka!" she scolded, "You shouldn't just take advantage of Zuko's hospitality like that, besides it doesn't even look fresh." She grabbed Sokka's wrist and forced him to put the fork down.

Sokka eyed the slightly blotchy piece of meat, "Looks fine to me," he mumbled before stuffing another bite into his mouth. "Right, Toph?"

"How am I supposed to know? I'm the blind one." She retorted, waving her hand in front of her face, "But I'm going to have to agree with Sugar Queen on this one, it does taste a tad funny."

"I would think so. It was intended for the royal lizard-mounts, not for us," a voice deadpanned from the doorway.

Everyone turned toward the voice, and there, leaning in the doorway stood a tall, slender woman, clad in a black and red kimono. Her long, black hair was done up in its traditional bun, but a few strands had managed to escape and flow down over her shoulders.

"Mai!" Katara exclaimed, running over to give the taller woman a hug, "We were just going to come find you, but Sokka seems to have gotten into the animal feed."

Aang came up from behind Katara and gave Mai a friendly hug as well. "Now," Mai began, "Zuko's been waiting for you guys to show up for a while now. Well, actually," she continued, arching an eyebrow in Katara and Aang's direction, "he saw you arrive about an hour ago, and has been wondering if you got lost on the way here."

At this, Sokka paused from the repeated wiping of his tongue in a vain attempt to rid himself of some of the aftertaste of the meat, to smirk at Katara, "Well if my sister and lover boy over there hadn't spent half and hou—Owww! Toph! What was that for?" He questioned, rubbing his arm.

"That was for not knowing when to shut up and for making me eat some rotten meat. Now come on, I want to go see Sparky." And with that, they all filed out of the room and after Mai, who led them through the palace to see Zuko.

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Fire Lord Zuko was relaxing for the first time in a long time. He was leaning forward on the balcony off his room, hands resting on the railing, simply watching the turtle-ducks swim circles in the pond below. He smiled as he remembered how both he and Mai had ended up in the pond—thanks to Azula's prank—and all the times he and his mother had just sat together and watched them swim. He continued to watch the turtle-ducks swim around, occasionally quacking, but generally just swimming, enjoying the sunshine and the warm day.

Thinking back, he thought of his mother again, her warm embrace and the comforting hand she would always place on his shoulder. She was there whenever he needed her; she was the only true parent he ever really had—except for Iroh. And yet, despite his affection for her, he still had no idea where she was. His father, still locked in prison, had made sure of that, but, Zuko vowed, he would do whatever it took to find her. He would not betray her trust as his father and sister had betrayed his. He would be different.

"Oh Zuko…._Zuko_."

Startled from his revere, Zuko abruptly turned to find Mai watching him curiously from the doorway. Coming into the room slowly, she advanced quietly until she came up beside him, a hand resting on his shoulder. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Yeah," he said slowly, "Just thinking." When she still said nothing, he added, "About mom."

Turning to face him, Mai looked into Zuko's eyes, "You don't need to worry about that right now. I know you're doing everything you can to find her, and I know she would be proud. Besides," she cupped his cheek, giving him a quick kiss, "our friends finally decided to show up."

"Oh really?" Zuko smirked.

At that moment, Katara, followed by Aang, Toph, and Sokka rounded the corner into the room. Smiling the Fire Lord greeted his friends, "Katara," he smiled, "I'm so glad you could make it."

"So am I," she answered, giving Zuko a hug, "I've missed not seeing you two. The last time was at your wedding a little over a year ago."

Zuko smiled at the memory. He and Mai had had a small private wedding with only their closest friends on Ember Island only few years after the war. It had been a special time for the both of them and it really symbolized, at least in his mind, the peace that they had now that his father was gone.

Sokka walked up to Zuko too and embraced him tightly. Although no words were spoken, the action meant a lot, especially to the Fire Lord, because he knew Sokka—and rightly so—had not always been very trusting when it came to the fire nation. When Zuko had originally gained the throne, Sokka was always supportive, but in the past four years their friendship had grown into a close, almost brotherly relationship.

"Hey Sparky, long time no see," Toph said, greeting the Fire Lord.

"Yes," Zuko chuckled, "It sure has, although I think my arm has enjoyed the break." He teased, rubbing his arm.

"You're such a wimp," Toph countered, "I have no idea why Iroh let you become Fire Lord."

Before Zuko could come up with an adequate retort, Mai stepped in front of him. "As much as I would love to listen to your reasons why my husband should not be Fire Lord," she began, giving Toph a slight scowl, "I believe we all should be getting ready for the party tonight. It begins at five this evening, and please," she glanced at Toph and Sokka, "try to be civilized."

"What!" Toph exclaimed, "A fancy party? Sokka, why didn't you tell me about this?"

Nervously scratching the back of his neck, Sokka answered, "I honestly forgot, but I guess I kind of assumed you knew there was a party because we were coming here for the Peace Celebration."

"Of course I knew that, you idiot. What I didn't know, and you probably don't realize is," she threw her arm to the side, in an attempt to indicate Zuko, Mai, and Katara, "that these people expect me to wear something nicer than I'm wearing now."

"Oh, Toph!" Katara exclaimed excitedly, "I didn't realize you forgot to bring a dress. We need to go shopping right now. Come on." Katara grabbed Toph's arm and started dragging her from the room.

Toph, one arm still held by Katara, stopped to glare at Sokka, her blind eyes somehow knowing exactly where he was, and, if looks could kill, Sokka would have been struck dead. As she was being dragged from the room, Toph called out, "Sokka, when I get back you are so dead. You have no idea what kind of horrible things I will do to you. Be. Very. Afraid."

And with that, she and Katara were gone, leaving a shell-shocked Sokka standing rooted in the ground. Meanwhile, Aang and Zuko burst out laughing while Mai silently smirked as they all left the room to get themselves ready, leaving the slightly dumbstruck water tribe warrior still standing in the middle of the room.

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As she and Toph walked from the palace into the streets of the fire nation capital, Katara could not help but be impressed and encouraged by what she saw. No longer were people nervous, constantly looking over their shoulder, wondering who was watching or if they were doing something wrong. No longer did they hold a deep prejudice against the other elements, thinking that they were somehow superior to everyone else. In fact, it seemed as if the fire nation citizens had embraced the new world that was open to them.

The two girls passed a bustling pottery shop full of wares created solely by earthbending on one street, and saw a clothing store with many water tribe robes and parkas on another. Katara could not help smiling at the many people she passed, some of whom recognized her and bowed their heads in deference, while others simply smiled.

The two made a conspicuous pair, the tanned water bender and the tomboyish earthbender didn't exactly blend in with the locals, but Katara didn't mind; she still hadn't quite gotten used the fact that the fire nation wasn't totally evil and that their citizens weren't hostile. Just standing among them and being treated with respect and as an equal was an almost unparalleled experience.

Pulling herself from her revere, she realized that the two girls were approaching a promising looking clothing shop. Excited, she grabbed Toph's hand and began to walk toward the store. "Come on, Toph," she said, "I see a store that looks perfect. Let's go inside and see if they have a dress that you like."

"Do we have to?" Toph complained, "Can't you just pick one out for me? It's not like I can see what I look like in them anyway."

Scowling, Katara answered, "I'm here to help you, but I want this to be your decision. We're celebrating your contribution to the war effort too. Besides, I'm sure you'll look great, and," she continued, elbowing Toph playfully, "there might be some cute guys there."

Toph snorted, "Right, whatever you say Katara. Now let's get this over with, but," she hastened to add, "make sure they don't touch my feet."

Smiling, Katara led Toph inside and they began walking through the racks of clothes, looking for the perfect dress.

After what seemed like hours, but was actually only around fifteen minutes, Katara finally came to stop. Sensing her excitement, Toph couldn't help but sound interested when she asked, "Well, did you find something?"

Pulling the dress out to get a better look at it, Katara nodded, "Yes, I think I found the perfect one. Now, let's go find a room so you can try it on."

Another fifteen minutes went by and, after much pushing and pulling, and a little prodding from Katara, Toph finally stepped out of the dressing room so Katara could see. The dress Katara had picked out for her was made of pale, layered green silk—the green a perfect match to Toph's eyes. It was cut modestly across the top but still accented Toph's features well. It also sported a small row of green, silk flowers across the top. There were two semi-transparent silk straps that went over her shoulder, meeting the back of her dress just below her shoulder blades. The dress tapered at the waist and featured a large green bow on her left hip. The middle of the bow featured a small bouquet of flowers similar to the ones above with a few light yellow and green cords trailing below. On the end of each cord was a small, yellow tulip bud that complimented the green of her dress nicely. Just passed her waist, the bottom of her dress widened and fell to floor, the many layers of silk separating to give the illusion that the dress was constantly in motion, shifting ever so slightly. All in all, it was a magnificent dress, perfect for the blind earthbender.

"Oh Toph," Katara exclaimed, "It's beautiful, _you_ look beautiful."

Blushing slightly, Toph fingered the fine silk, "Thanks Katara, but I'll have to trust you know what you're talking about though because I can't actually see myself. I do have to admit though; this isn't too bad for a dress. The silk feels really soft and cool against my skin; it's nothing like those hot and oppressive gowns my parents would make me wear whenever anyone came over. And it's long enough that people won't be able to see my feet so they won't be able to tell if I have shoes on or not. Overall, not a bad choice Sugar Queen, thanks."

"It's the least I can do." Katara smiled, "Now why don't you go get changed so we can get back to the palace in time for the party."

After they had paid and were approaching the palace, Katara turned to Toph once again, "You know Toph; we can't let the boys see your dress until tonight so we'll have to be extra sneaky on the way in."

Toph smirked, her earlier anger at Sokka tempered, "Not a problem, sneaking is my specialty. Besides it's not like Snoozles or Twinkletoes are very attentive anyway; we shouldn't have any problems at all."

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**Hope you liked it, please review! **


	4. Azula and the Cactus Juice

**Ok so I wanted to apologize for the lack of plot development in the last chapter--hopefully when you look back at my rather lengthy introduction it won't look so bad in light of the stort as a whole. And, I wanted to reward you with another chapter, this one containing the beginning of one of the major plotlines that runs through the story. The other will begin in the next chapter. I also couldn't help myself and had to write in a few Tokka shenanigans.**

**Please review, I really enjoy hearing from you. Let me know if you see something that needs improvement or something you like--I'm not averse to criticism.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy.**

**I don't own ATLA so don't sue me--unless you want my textbooks--which I will gladly give you.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Azula and the Cactus Juice**

Later that evening, back at the palace, Aang was pacing with a nervous anticipation. Sokka had told him that he would come pick him up before he went to party, and, as usual, Sokka was late. Finally, throwing his hands in the air in an act of frustration and impatience, Aang decided to go looking for the tardy warrior himself.

"Sokka," he called when he reached his room, "are you ready to go? We probably should stop by the girl's room before head to ball, and we don't want to be late."

When no answer came, Aang repeated himself, but still there was no answer. Finally getting fed up with waiting, Aang turned the knob and stepped into the room. What he saw inside was enough to make anyone's head spin. Sokka was standing in the middle of the room with every article of clothing he had brought set out in concentric circles around him. He was muttering incoherently, something about not being able to find his socks. Upon finally noticing the slightly dumbstruck avatar, Sokka simply said, "Hey Aang, ready to go?"

"Yeah, but what about you?" he answered.

"Ummmm," he scratched his head, "I'm kind having trouble picking out what to wear. Do you think I should wear these blue pants with this white shirt, or the blue shirt with the white pants? Or maybe I should wear these khaki pants instead. But what about this red shirt; I should wear red because we're in the fire nation, right? But, I really like blue. Ugh, I don't know Aang." He sighed, sitting down in the middle of all the clothes. "I've been at this for an hour now."

Slightly perplexed, Aang thought for a moment. Then an idea struck him, "You know Sokka," he began, "this looks like something I used to do before I would go on a date with Katara, but seeing as you broke up with Suki two years ago and don't have a girlfriend right now…" he trailed off, hoping Sokka would rise to the bait. When he didn't, Aang continued, undaunted, "You're either obsessed with clothing or you're trying to impress a girl."

"Wait, what! I'm not obsessed with clothes!" he sputtered. Then, realizing why Aang was still grinning at him, "And I most certainly do not want to impress some girl. I'm perfectly happy being single…right…now." He finished uncertainly.

"Whatever you say, Sokka," Aang said, rolling his eyes, "I'm going to wait outside, and you're going to come out in five minutes, ok?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Now stop talking so I can choose." He answered distractedly.

Aang reached the doorway and was about to shut the door behind him when he called over his shoulder, "Oh, by the way, she'd probably like the blue." And, with that slightly ambiguous statement, he left Sokka standing and staring at the wall, wondering what Aang was talking about.

Five minutes later, as Aang had asked, Sokka stepped out of his room. He had taken Aang's advice and worn a blue tunic over some khaki pants. He tugged a little at the collar, not liking the fit; he was much more comfortable in his typical garb. On the contrary, Aang looked perfectly at home in his formal air nomad garb. The yellows and reds mixed nicely with the orange, and the robes fit much better now that he had grown. He had forgone the traditional necklace, however, in favor of a much smaller, discreet replica.

"Alright Sokka, let's go," he said, leading the way to the main ballroom.

Following Aang through the twists and turns of the palace, Sokka couldn't help but be a tad nervous. After all, he was still just a peasant from the southern water tribe, and he was never very comfortable among the politicians and dignitaries that seemed to frequent these types of events.

Finally rounding the last corner and stepping into the ballroom, Sokka gaped. The room that had been Fire Lord Ozai's throne room had been transformed from a dark, foreboding dungeon to a warm and lively place. The party planners had taken the time to add more lights, eliminating many of the shadows, and to add many paintings to the pillars and walls to create a warmth that the room had not previously had.

On the far left wall there was a diverse buffet table featuring food from both the earth kingdom and the water tribes, in addition to the more common fire nation fare. There were tables set up for people to sit in and a bar for people to get drinks. On the raised platform where the throne usually was, the customary wall of fire was gone, and there was a small band playing some quiet music. The middle of the room, closest to the band had been designated the dance floor and already a few couples had taken the opportunity to enjoy each other's company. All around there were people mingling, talking and laughing, simply enjoying the occasion.

While Sokka had been busy gaping at the room, Aang had been searching for Katara and the rest of their friends. Finally spotting them, he grabbed Sokka's arm and began pulling him through the crowd. "Come on, Sokka," he called, "I think I see Katara over there with Mai and Zuko."

Threading their way through the crowd, Aang and Sokka finally burst through a group of people to stumble on Katara and Toph talking with Zuko and Mai. Both boys stopped, staring, but for totally different reasons.

Aang, as always, blushed when he saw Katara, her body hugging, strapless blue dress accenting her curves beautifully; her mother's necklace conspicuously clasped around her throat. She had chosen to leave her hair down, allowing it to cascade over her shoulders, framing her face wonderfully. Seeing her boyfriend, she came over and gave him a hug and a quick kiss on the cheek.

Meanwhile, Sokka's brain was trying to get wrapped around what he saw. In front of him was a girl—no, actually a _beautiful _young woman—who he assumed had to be Toph. She was wearing a light green dress that accented her eyes perfectly as well as her petite frame, and at the same time, complimented her porcelain-like skin. Her hair had been done up, with a few intricately and intentionally placed strands allowed to escape from the tiara that held them, and a pair of understated, emerald earrings dangled from her ears. Much to Sokka's pleasant surprise, she had still elected to wear the meteor bracelet he had given her on her upper left arm.

"What's up Snoozles?" she asked, breaking him from his revere. "Forget something?"

"What? Ummm, no, I'm good thanks," he stuttered. Stumbling over his words, he managed to get out, "You look great by the way. You should dress up like this more often."

Toph, who could feel Sokka's elevated heart rate but wasn't sure what to make of it, smiled, a quiet blush gracing her cheeks, "Thanks Sokka. I'd return the favor but," she waved her hand in front of her face, "I can't see you."

Sokka snorted, his mouth—as usual—working before his brain, "Well, I'm sure I don't look as good as you." Right after the words left his mouth Sokka's brain pulled an abrupt U-turn. _Did I really just say that? What was I thinking!? Why am I so nervous? This is just Toph after all_. He looked up to see Toph standing, seemingly lost in thought. Thankfully, before Sokka could say anything else, Katara spoke up,

"Oh, Aang," she said, listening the band change to a new number, "I love this music, let's go dance." Happily, the avatar complied, taking his girlfriend's hand and leading her to the dance floor. Zuko looked at Mai, who nodded, and they too left for the dance floor.

Feeling the others depart, Toph turned to Sokka, "Well Snoozles, it looks like it's just you and me…"

"Yeah…" Sokka began, looking for something to do. Spying the buffet table—and still not feeling any effects from the slightly rotten meat he had eaten earlier, he offered, "Want to go get some food?"

"Sure," Toph shrugged, and the two friends went over to the lavish buffet table to sample some of its many delicacies.

Grabbing a plate from a nearby stack, Sokka immediately began filling his plate with meat. He grabbed a large moose-lion steak and plopped it on his plate, immediately following that with a turtle-duck drumstick and a fillet of some kind of fish. Finally topping it off with a large dollop of mashed potatoes, Sokka turned and began looking for a table. Spotting one a little ways off, he turned to tell Toph where he was going. When he looked back, he saw Toph, plate in one hand, serving tongs in the other, blindly groping for some food. Smirking to himself, he set his plate down and went back to help.

"Having a little trouble?" he teased.

"No," she retorted, "I'm just fine, and I can serve myself thank you." As if to emphasize her point, Toph reached out and, feeling some leaves brush the tongs, grabbed them and put them on her plate. "See," she said proudly, "salad, just what I wanted." As she began to continue down the table, she heard Sokka's barely stifled laugh behind her. Whirling, she exclaimed, "What now?!"

Scarcely holding back his laughter, Sokka managed, "You grabbed some of the flowers that were lying on the table for decoration, not the salad."

The embarrassment that clouded her face quickly turned to anger, "Well what did you expect! I'm blind!" she shouted, "Why can't you ever remember that?" Throwing her plate onto the buffet table, she stalked off to a nearby table and sat down, propping her bare feet up the chair next to her.

Sokka knew better than to chase after Toph when she was angry, so he simply grabbed her plate, pushed the flowers back on to the table, and began filling it with some food.

A couple minutes later Sokka came over carrying both his and Toph's plates. He deposited one in front of her and took the seat next to her. Sliding her feet off the chair, Toph sat up, "Thanks," she mumbled, before slowly picking up her fork and feeling around her plate. "What you know, it's not all meat," she commented.

"You said you wanted some salad, so I got you some. Besides, I got you some turtle-duck just in case you were hungry for some real food," Sokka explained.

"Thanks Meathead," Toph said, coming up with yet another nickname for her friend.

The two friends continued eating in silence for some time until Sokka, finally finished with his meat, pushed back from the table and sighed contentedly. Taking a surreptitious glance at his friend across the table, he again couldn't help but be surprised by what he saw. _When did she get curves like Katara? How come I haven't noticed any of this? Am I that oblivious?_

"Enjoying the view Snoozles?"

"What view?" Sokka blurted, a fierce blush coming to his cheeks, "I was just…thinking. Yeah, I was thinking."

"You, thinking…right," Toph snorted.

"Hey, I resent that," Sokka protested, "after all I am the idea-guy."

"Alright," she smirked, "prove it."

"Well," Sokka thought for a long moment. What was he supposed to come up with? After all, he was at a party, it's not like he had a bunch of options. But, just when he was afraid that he wasn't going to be able to come up with anything, a thought struck him. "Ok," he began, leaning forward and beginning to whisper excitedly, "I've got an idea; remember that time when Zuko burned your feet?"

"Yea…"

"Well how about we get back at him?"

At this a huge grin split Toph's face, "Sweet! What's your plan?" she whispered back.

"Well," he began in his most conspiratorial voice, "over at the end of the tables is a bar and because Sparky is the Fire Lord and this is such a big celebration, they're bound to have lots of different kinds of drinks."

"Ok…."

"Well remember that time I got high on cactus juice?" he prodded.

"How could I forget? You were obnox—oooooh," Toph exclaimed, finally realizing where Sokka was going with his plan. "So you want to spike all the drinks of all the other guests? Because after that Zuko's party will turn into a living hell for him and everyone will be going crazy?" Toph laughed, "I like the way you think Snoozles, let's go."

"Alright, well we're going to need a distraction, think you can do your little blind girl act?" he teased.

"Of course," she snorted, "just point me in the right direction and watch me fall."

Sokka laughed, he really enjoyed spending this time with Toph, she always made him feel the most comfortable, the most like himself. It was doing stupid things like this that he had missed over the past couple years. While he was at home in the Southern Water Tribe, or even when he had spent time on Kyoshi Island with Suki, he didn't get to make mischief like he always did with Toph.

Approaching the bar, he signaled Toph by reaching out and squeezing her hand twice. She veered away, hiding the slight blush that was gracing her face. Leaning over the counter, Sokka began speaking in what he liked to think of as his "business voice." Instead it came off like a snob-nosed politician telling you why he thought sea prunes were better than ocean kumquats. Either way, it brought the obviously tired and hassled bar tender over to him, "What do you want?" he asked grumpily.

"Well, what do you got?" Sokka asked.

"Everything, now make up your mind. I've got other people to serve," he said.

"Hmmm, what's that?" Sokka asked, peering over the counter and pointing to a bottle with a blue label.

"That's high concentration cactus juice. Never put more than a couple ounces in a drink or you'll be high off the stuff for hours." He explained helpfully.

"Can I see it?" Sokka asked.

"I'm not going to let you take it if that's what you mean. There's no way I would give that out. The Fire Lord would probably banish me if some idiot got a hold of that and started acting like a complete fool." Nevertheless, he reached over and grabbed the bottle, plunking it on the countertop in front of Sokka. "Seen enough yet?" he hassled.

It was at this point that Toph decided to make her entrance. "Owwww!" she cried as she intentionally kicked a nearby chair, causing her to stumble and fall hard into the bar. As she fell, she managed to guide herself through the side entrance used by the bartender and land among the racks of bottles and flasks that were against the bar. Immediately glasses started to fall, and bottles began to clink against each other. The bartender, completely forgetting about Sokka and the cactus juice, rushed to keep more glasses from falling and the flasks from spilling.

"Spirits!" Toph cursed, rubbing her foot, "Who the hell put a chair there?"

Crouching beside her, the bartender put a hand under her arm to help her up and asked, "Are you ok miss? Do you need me to go get some help?"

Shrugging his hand off angrily, Toph stood up, "I'm blind, not weak. Now I'll be on my way if you don't mind."

Slightly startled, the bartender shrugged, "Ok, whatever you say. Just please be more careful next time."

Toph didn't answer but simply walked out of the bar and back into the crowd, but before she was too far away she heard the bartender grown and the telltale sound of someone's palm coming in contact with their forehead. She smiled; it looked like Sokka had managed to get the cactus juice after all.

* * *

Fire Lord Zuko smiled, the stress of the day was over and there was nothing he needed to do now but enjoy the evening with his lovely wife. The band was playing a soft tune, Mai's arms were around his neck, her body pressed against his, swaying slightly in time with the music—nothing could ruin the moment.

"Excuse me, Fire Lord?" Zuko tensed, this was the last thing he wanted to hear. This was supposed to be a celebration and he did not want to have to worry about the stupid whims of one politician or another for at least another twelve hours. Maybe if he ignored him, he would just go away.

"Fire Lord?" The voice came back stronger this time, more persistent.

Not taking her hands from Zuko, Mai asked "Do you think anyone would mind if I stuck him to the wall over there for, oh I don't know, maybe a couple hours?"

Zuko smiled, "I think that sounds like a fantastic idea, and I'm sure the Fire Lord won't mind, after all this is his party."

Mai gave a wry chuckle, unlacing her fingers from behind her husband's neck and made ready to flick a couple knives in the direction of the voice.

"Fire Lord," the servant squeaked, realizing his peril, "I know you didn't want to be interrupted but it involves Azu—"

Before Mai could even bring her arm around to throw the knives, Zuko had grabbed her arm, staying her motion for at least the time being. He turned slowly, every muscle in his body rigid, a faint steam rising from his nostrils. "What did you say?" he asked in a menacingly calm tone.

"I said," the servant began again, "I have urgent information regarding your sister."

Reacting quickly and without hesitation, Zuko strode from the dance floor, his ceremonial robes flowing behind him while Mai, in her floor length black gown, struggled to keep up. Zuko grabbed the servant by the elbow, pulling him roughly out of his abbreviated bow, and hustled him into an empty corridor outside of the ballroom.

Finally at a place where they could speak freely, Zuko began, "You had better have a very, very good reason for coming into my party, interrupting the little time I get to spend with my wife, and then mentioning Azula! I do not take any of these things lightly, least of all the mention of my sister. So tell me, what is it that is so important that it couldn't wait a few hours?"

"Well," the servant gulped nervously, "it appears that your sister escaped from prison yesterday…"

"WHAT! How could this happen!?" Zuko threw his hands in the hair and began pacing the hallway, nearly spitting flames.

Mai, who had been standing next to Zuko, let out a very characteristic sigh, "I knew this would happen eventually."

Whirling on his wife, Zuko fumed, "What!? How could you know this was going to happen? I had her sent to the Boiling Rock, put in a special room, and hired the best doctor I could find to take care of her. She's family, Mai. It's not like I could just toss her in the cooler and throw away the key!"

"Zuko, like it or not, even in the state she was in, she's still Azula." Mai began calmly, "She's smart, manipulative, and hell-bent on bringing the fire nation back into its 'former glory.' Some group still loyal to your father probably got up the courage to spring her in the hope that she would lead them to victory. It's not that far-fetched, and besides, you knew some of the treatments were working. She is far from the crazed lunatic she was right after Sozin's Comet."

Turning from Mai, Zuko glared at the servant, "Is there any other information I should know about? And why am I just hearing about this now?"

"We just received the messenger hawk an hour ago, sir. We debated whether we should bring it to you now, and decided that it would be best if you were informed immediately. As for any other information, it is believed that the doctor you hired helped her to escape. Apparently Azula was allowed out of the prison for a brief bit of air." Seeing Zuko's glare, he hastened to add, "It was by the doctor's orders, and there were at least six guards with them at all times. He said that the fresh air would help the healing process. Anyway, one of the guards stumbled back into the prison saying that Azula and the doctor attacked them, knocking out three of the guards, killing two others. Apparently it was a surprise attack…"

"Apparently so," Zuko muttered, "Do you have any leads on finding the doctor?"

"Well sir," the servant said, scratching his head, "That's the odd thing. The doctor reported the next day like nothing had ever happened. He claimed that he had been at home sick and sent a messenger hawk to the prison to let them know he would not be able to come in that day, and interestingly enough, his story checks out. A couple people from his village confirm that he didn't leave his house, but despite this, they still took him into custody for questioning."

Perplexed, Zuko dismissed his servant, "Very good. Thank you for coming and getting me. Let me know immediately if anything new comes up."

"At once, sir." The servant bowed one last time and left.

Turning to Mai, Zuko rubbed his brow, "This is the last thing we need. We've had almost four years of relative peace and now my sister is broken out of prison. This can only mean more violence. I'm going to have to meet with the generals soon. She cannot be allowed to roam unchecked for very long."

"I agree," Mai said, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his neck, "but I think that can wait. Besides," she teased, breaking into one of her few, but captivating grins, "I believe you still owe me a dance."

Mollified for now, Zuko smiled and extended his arm, and together they walked back into the party, letting the outside world be—for now.

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**Please review, I really enjoy hearing from you!**


	5. Ty Lee and the Dance Floor

**Glad I was finally able to get this up. School is picking up but I should still be able to get these chapters up with some regularity. Anyway, I was pretty pleased with how this chapter turned out. I think it combines some sweet Tokkaness with an interesting conclusion. So thanks to all who read, please let me know what you think. If there's something you think I could work on, please tell me. I won't take offense, especially if it's worded respectfully.**

**Still don't own Avatar.**

**Hope you enjoy, please review.**

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****Ty Lee and the Dance Floor**

"…yes, thank you very much for your kind words, but I'm afraid I have to go now. I believe my sister is calling me, perhaps will talk later. Thanks again." Sokka sighed, it's not that he hated being polite, it's that he hated being _artificially_ polite—even if it was for a good cause.

The good cause, of course, was the prank they were going to play on Zuko, and by consequence, Katara and Aang; however, the only way that either Toph or Sokka could think of to get the cactus juice into people's glasses was by distracting them through conversation. Thankfully, getting people to talk to them wasn't hard because, after all, they were the saviors of the world, so they had each taken turns starting conversations with diplomats and noblemen. While one of them was talking, the other slipped a drop or two of cactus juice into their drink, and already, they were beginning to see results.

At one end of the room, a previously dignified nobleman was standing on top of a table shouting something about wolf bats, while the woman next to him was vigorously pulling at his pant leg, telling him to get down. Cactus juice does not aid one's balance, and as a result of the woman's pulling, he soon toppled off the table, knocking her and a couple more people down in the process.

Toph and Sokka, who were now sitting down at their table trying to be as inconspicuous as possible, burst out in an uproarious laugh at the sight, and other than a few stares, no one seemed to notice or care. Suddenly, Sokka got excited, "Toph! Look over there!"

Completely ignoring the fact that Sokka forgot she was blind—again—Toph exclaimed, "What? Tell me what you see."

Sokka burst out laughing, "So remember how you managed to slip some cactus juice to both the Earth King and Bosco?"

"Yeah?!" Toph asked, eagerly awaiting a response.

"Well apparently his earthiness decided to mount Bosco and ride around the ballroom while trying to sing and strum a banjo—that," he added after a moment's contemplation, "looks oddly familiar."

"Hahaha," Toph laughed, "So that's what that noise was. I couldn't figure it out over his shouts of 'Ju Dee' and 'Long Feng.'"

"Yeah, this is awesome," he said, leaning back from the table, a contented sigh on his lips, "Zuko is not going to be happy when he sees this. Thanks for your help." He nodded at an un-seeing Toph.

"Not a problem Snoozles, besides, I had to get back at him some time. And I'm not worried about Sparky; what's he going to do, banish us?"

At this extremely poor, but well-timed, joke, Toph and Sokka both burst out laughing. When they finally stopped, they were each wiping tears out of their respective eyes. Suddenly Toph straightened, her brow furled in concentration. "Sokka, we need to move—now," she ordered.

"What? Why?"

"Because someone's coming."

"Who, Zuko? I thought you weren't worried about him."

"I'm not; it's worse than that. Sugar Queen is coming this way, and from her vibrations, she seems angry."

Sokka gulped, this was not good. "Where should we g—" he began, when suddenly an idea struck him. Without stopping to think, he stood up, grabbed Toph's arm and began hauling her through the crowd.

"Snoozles, where are we going?" she demanded, "What are you doing?"

Sokka didn't answer or stop until he had reached his destination. When he did, he cautiously put both of his hands on Toph's hips.

"Sokka," she hissed dangerously, crossing her arms across her chest, "explain yourself, _now_."

"Tell me," he began, gently grabbing Toph's arms and bringing them up around his neck, "where's the last place Katara would look for us?"

A slight blush crept to Toph's cheeks as music began to play in the background, and after several seconds' hesitation, she conceded, "The dance floor."

"And where are we now?" Sokka asked, a smug smile creeping to his lips.

"On the dance floor," Toph mumbled, and in an effort to save face, she added, "but if you step on my feet, I'm going to earthbend you through the roof."

That comment momentarily wiped the smile off Sokka's face, but when she leaned in a little closer and he felt her warm body press up against him, he couldn't help but feel his heart rate speed up and his cheeks begin to redden. _Toph was, after all, a beautiful young woman and this was just a natural reaction to that, right?_ He thought,_ I mean, she's probably just doing this so we can blend in and hide from Katara, isn't she?_

Lost in his own thoughts, Sokka failed to notice that Toph was equally lost in hers; completely missing the fact that Sokka's heart was now racing at least twice as fast as it usually does when he smells fresh moose-lion steaks. Gently bringing her head down, she rested it against Sokka's shoulder, enjoying his company and warmth as well, slowly swaying to the music and completely and utterly forgetting why they had even come to the dance floor in the first place.

* * *

Katara and Aang had been enjoying the party for the last couple hours; they had danced for a while and even talked with some of the diplomats and visiting dignitaries. In fact, they had even had a chance to talk with the Earth King about his travels after Ba Sing Se was taken by Azula and the Dai Li. Apparently he had hooked up with the nomads, Chong and Lily, and learned that there was more in the world than simply what was inside the walls of Ba Sing Se. He claimed that it really opened his eyes to the diversities of the world and to the different nation's various problems—but what he seemed most proud of was the banjo that Chong had given him. It was hard to miss him as he wondered around strumming and singing a few lines of the infamous "secret tunnel" song.

As Katara followed Aang to the buffet line, she couldn't help but notice that the people seemed almost too friendly. All around her, previously dignified noblemen and women were talking loudly and making extremely large, seemingly pointless hand gestures to emphasize something or another. She even noticed one man, who had gotten up on top of the table and was saying something about an interesting experience with wolf bats, topple off the table and onto four or five other people. She frowned, something about this situation seemed very familiar, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it.

"Aang," she asked, "Do people seem to be acting kind of strange to you?"

Aang, who hadn't really been paying much attention up until now, frowned, "Maybe a little," he conceded, "but I think they're just having a fun time because of the party. Zuko's really done a nice job with everything."

Suddenly Katara, who had been following right behind Aang, slammed into his back as he tried to avoid getting bowled over by an overzealous Earth King and Bosco. Apparently, he had decided that it was a good idea to ride Bosco and allow him what amounted to a free reign of the buffet tables. The hungry bear was eagerly gobbling up moose-lion steaks while the oblivious king strummed his banjo and sang a horribly off-key rendition of some song.

Turning to see if Katara was alright, Aang nodded, "I agree, this seems a tad out of control. Everyone seems to be acting strangely, kind of like how you described Sokka acting that one time in the desert."

Katara smacked her forehead in a decidedly Sokka-like manner, "Of course, how could I not have seen it? We left those two alone for a short while and they manage to do this!? I can't believe it!"

"Can't believe what?" Aang asked, still confused.

"Those two," Katara fumed as she tried in vain to regain her composure, "Must have slipped cactus juice in these people's drinks. There's no other explanation."

"Katara," Aang began, in attempt to calm his girlfriend, "We don't know they did this. They could just have gotten drunk on their own."

Katara glanced side-long at Aang, "Yeah, right. I doubt it. I'm going to find them." At this she stalked off, leaving Aang to trail in her wake.

Katara, inwardly, was furious. She couldn't believe that those two would have the gall to pull a prank at this party. They were supposed to be role models not goof-offs. How could anyone take her seriously if her brother and best friend were slipping cactus juice in other people's drinks for their own laughs?

As she rounded a set of tables, she caught a glimpse of them running off; apparently Toph had managed to sense her despite all of the people that were here. Stopping for a moment, she allowed Aang to catch up.

"I can't believe it. Those two ran off when they saw me coming. I mean, they acted like I would do something horrible to them if I caught them," she turned, hearing Aang stifle a giggle from behind her, "What!? You can't possibly approve of what they've been doing?"

"Well," Aang began carefully, "you can't be that surprised. I mean, how often have Toph and Sokka been together and not tried to do something like this? And, you have to admit, the Earth King and Bosco are pretty funny."

Katara threw her hands up in the air, "Fine, why don't you just go join them. I'm going to look for them and give Sokka a piece of my mind." And with that, Katara was off, stalking through the crowd in search of her brother and his partner.

Aang sighed, taking a seat at a table, glad to be able to get off his feet. He didn't mind their pranks as much as Katara did, but he did mind his girlfriend's temper. He knew Sokka and Toph were in for an earful if Katara ever caught up to them. _Now_, he thought,_ where could those two be?_

* * *

Katara didn't know why things like this bothered her so much, but she just couldn't stand the idea of those two gallivanting through Zuko's party doing whatever they wanted. She knew she was acting motherly, as Toph loved to call it, but there was nothing she could do about it right now—she just wanted to ask Sokka what the heck he was thinking.

Spotting a blue shirt ahead of her, Katara hurried foreword, grabbing the figure by the shoulder.

"Sokka," she began, "I can't bel—"

The figure she had grabbed turned around, his face, adorned with a mustache that looked somewhat like Haru's infamous growth, seemed surprised. Realizing her mistake, Katara smiled apologetically, "I'm sorry sir; I was looking for someone else."

As she backed away, the man gave her a quick smile and continued on with his conversation. After several more minutes of searching and another case of mistaken identity, Katara was ready to give up. She had looked everywhere and still wasn't able to find those two. Maybe Toph was tipping Sokka off every time she got close. Katara didn't know, and was tired of caring, those two would have to show up sometime and when they did she would be ready; but until then she decided she needed a moment to clear her head.

Quietly slipping out of the party and down the hall, Katara found herself wandering toward the Fire Lord's private gardens. She didn't know why, maybe it was her connection to water, and by relation the moon, but she soon found herself walking slowly beside a pond, listening to the quiet splashing of some turtle-ducks. The moon cast a silent blanket of dim light on the garden, and Katara seated herself against a tree facing the pond.

After about fifteen minutes, she was starting to feel better; her original anger at her brother and his mischievous partner was starting to wane. She gradually let her mind drift, enjoying the peace and tranquility of the night.

Finally, she decided that she should probably get back to the party; Aang was probably worrying about her. She smiled at the thought of him frantically telling Zuko that she had disappeared, while Mai merely looked on, and smiled.

Getting up slowly, she failed to notice the dark figure behind her. Suddenly a twig snapped and Katara whirled, instinctively gathering some of the pond's water up and into the form of a whip.

"Who's there?" she demanded.

"Darn it, you caught me," the figure laughed, cart-wheeling into the dimly lit clearing. Smiling, Ty Lee walked over to Katara and gave her a hug.

Katara returned the hug, "Ty! It's so good to see you! What are you doing here? I didn't hear you come up."

"Yeah," the acrobat giggled, "I got here late and wanted to sneak in and surprise Zuko and Mai. I haven't seen them in such a long time."

"Oh that's wonderful!" Katara exclaimed, "Come on, let's go inside together."

The two girls began to work their way through the garden, Katara leading Ty Lee. "So, Ty," she began, "how's Suki doing? Did she give you some time off so you could come to the party?"

"Suki?" Ty Lee questioned.

"Yeah," Katara said, frowning, "You know, the head of the Kyoshi Warriors, your leader?"

"Oh, of course," Ty Lee laughed nervously, "silly me! Yeah, she gave me the whole week off so I could come."

Katara's frown deepened, something wasn't right. Ty Lee should have known immediately who Suki was. "Ty Lee," Katara asked, turning to face the other girl, "what did you do before you joined Azula and Mai?"

"I…ummm….I didn't do anything. I just stayed at home until Azula came and got me." She stuttered.

"Oh, ok, just wondering," Katara shrugged. Turning her back on Ty Lee, she began walking back toward the palace as if everything was normal.

She took two steps before motioning with her arms to gather the water from the nearby plants, but it was already too late. After Katara had turned her back on her, Ty Lee had taken two quick steps inside her guard. As she was turning to attack, Ty Lee was already attacking. Her hands shot out quickly, jabbing preciously, blocking Katara's chi and keeping her from bending.

"Wha—" was all Katara could manage before Ty Lee hit her twice more, collapsing her already partially paralyzed body to the ground.

As she looked up at the girl above her, she could not help but notice the decidedly eerie smile on her face. She seemed to be taking satisfaction in the water bender's inability to do anything. Finally bursting into a laugh, Katara gasped. Her voice was no longer its usual, high-pitched, bubbly self, but in fact it had dropped a few octaves to a deep-throated, menacing pitch.

Slowly crouching down next to Katara's face, the imposter laughed as Katara flinched. She had never thought that Ty Lee could look so intimidating, but with her disturbing smile and her silhouette bathed in moonlight, Katara couldn't help but feel frightened when the figure spoke, "Soon, very soon, things will be made clear to you, but until then, sleep my little water bender." Slowly, Katara's world faded into black.

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**O.o Hope that leaves you wanting more! Let me know what you think, it'll be cleared up eventually, but I wanted to create some mystery and suspense. Anyway, hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please REVIEW!**


	6. The Note

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Ok guys, sorry for the wait but here's my next chapter. It's actually a little shorter than the others, but that's simply because it was the natural place for the chapter break. That also means there's a good chance you'll get another chapter around Tuesday or so. Let me know what you think of the shorter chapters. Are they easier to read/understand?

**Thanks to the few of you that reviewed my last chapter--I really appreciate it, especially those who have done so consistently. I would, however, love to hear from more of you, so please, if you take the time to read, let me know your thoughts. I'm not asking for a great American Novel as a review, just a sentence or two.**

**Anyway, sorry for the lengthy note. Here's the next chapter!**

**I'm not Mike or Brian, therefore I don't own ATLA...yet O.o **

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**The Note**

Aang was used to giving Katara her space. Early in their relationship, he had learned that there were times when women just needed to be by themselves, and this was one of those times. For Katara, it was usually something Sokka did or something silly he had said, but Aang had learned that if he just let her have some time to herself, things usually turned out alright.

Because of this, Aang had decided to amuse himself by looking for Toph and Sokka. He figured they wouldn't run away if they heard or saw him coming like they would with Katara.

Aang had been sitting at his table for a while, scanning the crowd for any sight of his two friends. He had already checked the most likely places, the buffet line, the bar, and even amongst the many people that mingled about; but he still hadn't found them. Finally, his eyes settled on the last place he expected them to be—the dance floor.

Almost immediately, he spotted Zuko and Mai off to one side. Zuko's was gesturing animatedly at the buffet line—which was rapidly degrading into a free-for-all thanks to Sokka's cactus juice—when Mai whispered something in his ear, causing him to smile. Then, grabbing her husband's hand, she led him off the dance floor and out into the hallway beyond.

As Zuko and Mai moved off, Aang thought he glimpsed a familiar blue dress shirt and a pale green dress. Maneuvering for a better view, Aang's jaw almost hit the floor because, there, hidden in the middle of the dance floor, were Toph and Sokka. Sokka's head was bowed slightly and Toph's head was resting on his chest. They were slowly swaying to the music, lost in their own world.

After watching them for another moment, Aang almost laughed aloud. _No wonder Katara couldn't find them_, he thought, _they hid in the last place anyone would think to look for them._ He shook his head knowingly; _I'm going to have to tease Sokka about this later for all the trouble he gives me when I am with Katara._

Glad that he had found them, but not wanting to stare, Aang decided that it was about time to begin searching for his girlfriend. She had been gone for over an hour now and Aang wanted to make sure she was alright.

From his previous scans of the dining room, Aang knew that Katara wasn't in the room. Thinking she may have taken a walk in the gardens, he meandered through the crowds and out into the hallway where he twisted and turned until he got to the garden.

Expecting to see his girlfriend wandering between the carefully manicured plants or by the pond, Aang was surprised when only silence greeted him. Deciding to take a closer look, Aang meandered out into the moonlight, stopping briefly to peer into the glassy smooth pond at his reflection. He smiled at himself, slowly running his hand over his head, tracing the arrow that was tattooed there.

Suddenly, a glint of light off a piece of metal in the middle of the lawn caught his attention. Investigating further, Aang was shocked to see a long metal dagger embedded in the ground, a note skewered through its middle. Picking up the dagger slowly, as if handling a live snake, Aang pulled the note off, unrolling it carefully. Katara's necklace dropped out and into his hands. Aang clutched the necklace to his chest, his expression changing from being surprised to being horrified in a matter of seconds. A quick gasp escaped his lips, and without looking back he grabbed the note and ran, aided by his airbending, back into the palace.

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Sokka was more than a little annoyed when he heard Aang calling his name frantically above the din of the party; but when he saw him approaching, a stricken look on his face, he knew something was really wrong. Toph, who had taken her arms off Sokka in a poor attempt to disguise the fact that they had been dancing, felt Sokka's heart rate spike,

"Sokka," she asked, "what's wrong?"

Not responding, but simply grabbing her arm and quickly leading her from the dance floor, Sokka caught up with a frantic Aang.

"Aang!" he almost shouted, putting one hand on either shoulder of the avatar, "What is it!?"

Gulping audibly, Aang motioned for them to follow. Leading them down the hall and into his bedroom, Aang wordlessly handed Sokka the letter.

Listening to the rustle of paper and the exchange of the note, Toph understood the importance of being patient, but when Sokka sat down on the bed in shock, she couldn't help but exclaim, "What's so important about the note!? What does it say?"

Drawing a deep breath, Sokka began, without preamble, to read in an even tone,

"_Dear Esteemed Avatar, Sokka, and Toph,_

_By the time you get this note, I will be long gone, so do not attempt to find me. However, I want to assure that even while I'm gone, I will still be watching. You will never see me, but I will be there; your companion—your shadow. Now, I'm sorry if I must be brief but I will now get to the point of this message. As you have noticed, and as evidenced by the necklace, I have taken your beloved Katara. I will suffice to say that nothing will happen to her as long as you carry out the simple tasks I give you without question or hesitation. Any disobedience or hesitation on your end will result in dire consequences for your lovely water bender. _

_Now my first task is simple, seeing as you are already in the fire nation. I need you steal the history of Fire Lord Liang-shek. He was an early Fire Lord, but his history—and what he discovered—are of great interest to me. Also, please collect the real history scroll—not the fake one from the Royal Library. If I were you, I also wouldn't tell the Fire Lord I was breaking into the hidden Dragon Bone Catacombs for it. He tends to get angry about those kinds of things. _

_When you have the scroll in your possession, place it on your balcony. I expect it by tomorrow night's end. It will be collected and further instructions will await you then. I need not remind you of the consequences of trying to catch my messengers or attempting to find me. Remember, the young water bender's safety and well-being rests entirely in your capable hands._

It's not signed, but the image of a centipede woven around the blade of a dagger is stamped in the bottom left-hand corner."

"Wow," Toph breathed, "that's not good."

When neither of the boys responded, Toph tried again, "Well, what are we going to do?"

"We're going to get Katara back!" Aang snapped, "What did you think!?"

"What I was wondering," she began testily, "Was whether we were going to go get this stupid scroll or if we were just going to find this guy, kick his butt, and take Katara back." She emphasized, pounding one fist into the palm of her hand.

"We're going to get the history of Liang-shek," Sokka's unusually quiet, calm voice cut through the strain in the air, immediately defusing the tension in the room. "We cannot take the chance that this character will hurt Katara."

Sokka's comment hung in the air, his statement unanswered but undisputed. Finally Toph nodded, accepting the facts of the situation, and ready to move on. Aang, however, was still struggling with the idea that Katara was gone. He was leaning back in the room's only chair, one hand on his brow, the other idly playing with Katara's necklace. Tears flowed freely down his face, rivulets of worry and anxiety coursing down his cheek, slowly dripping from his chin.

Seeing his friend's pain, Sokka went over to Aang, laying a hand on his shoulder. "Aang," he began slowly, "you know we're going to get her back, right? There's no way I'm going to let anything happen to my baby sister." He paused before continuing, "I know how much she means to you Aang, and believe me when I say I will do whatever it takes to get her back safely."

Voice thick with emotion, Aang managed, "Why…how…are you so calm?"

"Aang," Sokka started, slowly leaning back against the high baseboard of the bed, "If there was anything I learned from my time travelling with you—from my time fighting in the war—is that things are never easy. There is always something to worry about, someone who's in trouble, some place I could be; but, what is most important through it all is family."

Aang pulled his hand away from his face, brow furled in confusion. "What I mean," Sokka elaborated, "is that I could spend all day worrying about Katara—and believe me when I say that I probably still will—but that won't accomplish anything. Remember what happened when we lost Appa? We can't let that happen now. We need to stay focused on doing everything we can for Katara, and right now that is finding this history of Liang-shek. Toph," he said, turning to his friend, "I'm going to need your help finding these catacombs, because we're going to have to assume they're located underground because none of us have seen them before."

"Sure Sokka," she answered, starting to walk toward the door.

As she turned her back on her two friends, she couldn't help but be worried herself. Throughout Sokka's talk, she heard the barely constrained tension in his voice, and felt his increased heart rate. She knew he was scarcely holding it together, but with Katara gone, he was now the natural leader and comforter. He was the stability their group was going to need if they were going to get through this test unscathed.

Pushing himself off the bed, Sokka extended his hand to Aang. "Come on, buddy," he tried, using a term he rarely ever thought to use, "we need you. You're the avatar after all, and," he grudgingly admitted with a quiet smile on his face, "the best boyfriend my sister has ever had."

Picking his head up, Aang flashed Sokka a pained smile at the compliment he had rarely ever heard uttered. Grabbing the proffered hand and getting up, he filed after Toph as Sokka slowly closed the door behind them.

* * *

"_Aaaahhh," a quiet moan escaped her lips. Rolling over, the harsh, biting light tore at her eyes. She would have used her hands to cover her face, but they were bound behind her back, the thick rope cutting at her previously smooth wrists. The coarse fibers scratched her lower back, but still she tried to remain motionless. Her arms, bent back at an awkward angle, sent fire through her shoulders and upper back at every move. Her legs, also trussed at the ankles, provided her with little stability. One jolt or bump in the road would cause her fly from one end of her metal enclosure to the other. Sweat rolled off her brow, slowly cascading down her face; a steady stream fed by a constant source. _

_The confusion was worst of all. The outlook was bleak, and she had no idea where she was going or why she'd been taken. She had been betrayed, or so she assumed, taken in by one she had trusted and then manipulated. Now the others would pay for her inattention. Hoping, praying for help seemed to no avail. _

_Another bump tossed her back into her corner, and the ever present haze that so haunted her mind returned. Katara grimaced, and embraced darkness once again._

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**Hope you enjoyed this chapter, I wanted to work hard to keep them all in character, so if you think there OOC, please tell me. Regardless, please click the review button!**


	7. Shyu

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He guys, here's my most recent update. I know I told you I'd have a chapter up by Tuesday, but this week got the best of be. I was swamped by classes/projects/midterms. Let's just say I'm glad it's finally the weekend.

**Thanks again to those of you who reviewed my story last chapter, especially you Bluetiger, I really appreciate the thought you put in. Regardless though, I'd love anything from anyone. Just a sentence or two would be great.**

**So here's we go...O and I still don't own ATLA**

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**Shyu**

Leading Aang and Toph through the halls, Sokka wove his way deeper and deeper into the palace, taking little-used hallways through obscure courtyards and gardens. Most servants and guards allowed them to pass without question, but once or twice Aang had to be coaxed from his stupor to convince others of their less than honorable intentions. Rounding a bend, Toph suddenly stuck out her arm and called for them to stop,

"Wait," she exclaimed, "I feel something under the ground. It's like a really, really big room—like that library we found in the desert."

"Great!" Sokka exclaimed, "That has to be the place we're looking for." He paced for a moment, pretending to stroke a non-existent beard. "Now, if we only knew how to get down there…"

Sokka let his sentence trail off as he heard footsteps approaching. Turning around, he saw an elderly fire sage round the bend in the hall.

The man was old; his face was wizened with age, but still retained a friendly spark. The short tuft of hair that he grew from his chin was a light gray as well. Seeing the avatar and his friends, the sage bowed,

"It is good to see you again avatar," he intoned, "It has been far too long."

"Huh?" Toph questioned, "Who is this guy? Do we know him?"

Aang cracked a small smile and returned the bow, "It is good to see you again Shyu. As you said, it has indeed been too long."

"Huh?" Toph asked again, "Does anyone want to help me out here? Who is Shyu?"

"Shyu," Sokka explained helpfully, "was the fire sage that helped Aang, Katara, and me in Avatar Roku's temple on Crescent Island. He was the one who helped trick the other sages, and Admiral Zhao, so that Aang could slip into Roku's shrine and meet with him on the solstice. Roku was the one who first told Aang about the comet. Shyu disappeared after the battle; we weren't sure what happened to him afterwards."

Turning to Shyu, he also smiled, "It's good to see you that you made it out alright, but if you don't mind my asking, how did you do it?"

The elderly sage smiled sadly, "I was captured and imprisoned, along with the rest of the sages, by Admiral Zhao. We were all sent to prison to rot away for the rest of our lives. It was an awful experience—and I will spare you the details—but thankfully, your mission was a success and after," he nodded to Aang, "your victory, I decided to offer my services to the new Fire Lord in hopes to right some of my nation's previous wrongdoings. Now," he concluded, "how may I serve you again young avatar? I doubt you simply stumbled upon this corridor."

Sokka glanced sidelong at Aang, who nodded discreetly, "Well unfortunately, we need to put you in another difficult situation. We need you to help us find the history of Fire Lord Liang-shek."

A quick frown flashed across Shyu's face, but he easily covered it with a smile, "Oh, that is not much of an imposition, but you are a bit off course if you're looking for a history scroll. I would think there is a copy in the Royal Library. If you want, I could le—"

"No Shyu," Aang cut him off, "We need the real history—the one from the Dragon Bone Catacombs."

This time Shyu's frown was more pronounced, "I don't know how you know of the catacombs. Their existence is supposed to be a secret held only by the Fire Lord and the select few sages that work there; but I cannot allow you to enter them for any reason."

"Shyu," Aang tried again, beginning to lose patience, "I am not asking you as a soldier or a diplomat; I am asking you as the avatar. I regret saying this, but I need to ask that you put your loyalty to the avatar above your loyalty to the Fire Lord again. I need that scroll and the Fire Lord cannot know why or of its disappearance. Its information is absolutely vital to my friends and me, and we need it now. It cannot wait."

Shyu shook his head, "Avatar Roku once said that nothing truly right and pure can be done in haste." He paused for moment, taking a deep breath before letting it out slowly, "However, I see that you cannot be swayed young avatar. I will grant you this, and allow you to enter and leave the catacombs unbeknownst to anyone save me, but I ask you one thing in return."

He waited for Aang's affirming nod before continuing, "I ask that you not come to me again with such a request. I yearned for a time of peace but was born into one of war. I have lived a long and difficult life avatar, trying to stay loyal to Fire Lord Ozai while trying to uphold the balance Avatar Roku espoused. My decision to serve you when you came to me on that day was not one I took lightly. I had seen Ozai's tyranny for some time, but I still believed that balance could be attained in the world. Your visit changed everything; it forced me to accept that the balance that I cherished could not be reached without even more bloodshed—or more personal sacrifice. You are asking me to set aside one loyalty in favor of the other once again, and that is something I will refuse to do if you come to me again," taking another breath, he nodded, "but I do recognize that your problem is one of a personal nature."

When Aang raised his eyebrow, Shyu continued, "Do not think that I have not noticed the lack of the young water bender; her absence is very conspicuous, especially in your countenance. Now I ask you again, will you accept my terms?"

Aang nodded curtly, "It is as you say. On my duty as the avatar, I swear to honor your request."

"Good," Shyu said, "Now, I can only take you into the catacombs, Avatar Aang. Your friends will have to return to their rooms. They will be too obvious if they simply stand around in these hallways and wait for us. The Fire Lord will undoubtedly hear of your presence if they remain. Come," he motioned, "I have some robes for you to wear."

Allowing Shyu to lead him further down the hallway, Aang turned to his friends, "Wait for me in my room. I'll be back as soon as I have the scroll."

Sokka nodded, "Aang," he called after his friend, "Be careful and hurry back."

Aang didn't turn around, but merely paused when he heard Sokka call his name and continued walking when he finished. Turning to Toph, Sokka sighed, "Come on, let's head back. We can't have anyone find us down here."

"Right behind you Snoozles," Toph said, trudging after her friend as they retraced their steps through the corridors and back into the palace.

* * *

Aang trailed resolutely behind Shyu as they wove their way further through the corridors. They had stopped in Shyu's room briefly after leaving Sokka and Toph to get Aang a set of Fire Sage robes and one of their distinctive conical hats. He now looked like a passable—albeit a bit young—fire sage, especially in comparison to Shyu. Coming to an opening that led out onto a vast, empty courtyard, Shyu paused, whispering to Aang,

"What I am about to show you, Avatar Aang, has never been seen by anyone outside of the fire nation. It contains some of our most valuable information and greatest secrets. What you are about to see I trust you will not disclose to anyone, and I pray that you know what you are doing when you ask for the history. Because you are the avatar I will respect your judgment and will not ask again, but still I am compelled. Do you truly want to continue?"

Aang nodded once, not trusting his voice to remain steadfast to his heart's desires, and followed Shyu out into the courtyard. They approached a large, inset circle in the middle of the courtyard, and Shyu bent down, placing his hand over a small opening, and called upon his fire bending to open the lock.

A soft grinding greeted Aang's ears as the circle rotated, folding in on itself, revealing a small, spiral staircase below. Descending quickly into the gloom, Shyu grabbed a dry torch from the wall and lit it with a quick snap of his fingers. Aang scrambled to keep up as the circle rotated back to its original position.

Reaching the bottom of the stairway, Aang peered into the darkness, trying to discern what lay at the end of hall. Shyu's torch cast shadows on the wall; silent observers, mutely chastising Aang for his selfishness.

Doing his best to ignore the taunts of the shadows, Aang trudged after the fire sage, hoping that his deed would be finished quickly and his guilt absolved. However, fate would not let him off the hook that easily, and just as they had begun walking, a torch began bobbing its way through the murk toward them. His breath caught in his throat, his tongue thick in his mouth, as they slowly approached the passerby. Taking his cue from Shyu, Aang stepped to the side to allow the other torch to pass, and, seeing another fire sage, he inclined his head, hoping to hide his youth and identity.

As the other fire sage approached, he nodded to Shyu and frowned at Aang's down cast form. He paused for a moment, as if to make a comment, but decided against it. He simply acknowledged Aang's gesture of respect and continued down the hallway. Letting out a breath that he didn't know he was holding, Aang sighed.

"That was too close," he muttered.

Shyu merely snorted and silently continued walking. Finally pausing at a nondescript doorway, he rested his hand on knob and entered. Following him inside, Aang could not help but be impressed by what he saw. Shyu's torch lent a dim light to the inside of the room, revealing row upon row of scrolls and even an impressive dragon statue was coiled in one corner. Beginning to search the rows for Aang's scroll, Shyu finally broke his self-imposed silence,

"Do you know what Fire Lord Liang-shek was known for?" he asked.

"No," Aang admitted glumly.

Shyu shook his head, "He was famous—or perhaps infamous—for his obsession with the spirit world. He, much like Fire Lord Ozai, believed that the fire nation was destined to rule over the world, but his solution was unlike our former Fire Lord's. He believed the key to truly controlling the world came from the spirits, and he was willing to free a spirit from the confines of the spirit world in order to do it. It was said that he came close to achieving his goal before he passed away—under suspicious circumstances—one night. His research, however, was never made known to the public, and as a result his reign has faded into relative obscurity over the years."

Finally pausing and pulling an old, weathered scroll from the shelf, he continued, "It has long been the duty of the fire sages to protect this knowledge—to know it and keep it but not divulge it—and because you are the avatar, I trust you will do the same."

Before Aang could respond, he turned, taking the scroll with him, and began walking back the way they came. Shyu did not pause at the bottom of the staircase or when he reached the top, but merely continued walking until he reached the hallway beyond.

"Remember your promise Avatar Aang," he stated, handing Aang the scroll.

"Thank you, Shyu," Aang said, his hands trembling as he took the scroll, "I will remember my promise—and your kindness."

"Good, now leave before you are seen, but don't forget to leave the robes back in my room," he smiled before adding, "And Avatar Aang?"

Aang turned to face the fire sage one last time.

"I wish you luck on your journey, whatever it might be. Remember Roku's words and follow your heart. It has led you this far and will not fail you if you are willing to truly look." Bowing once, he turned and walked the opposite direction, leaving the avatar to ponder his words.

* * *

Finally back at the room, Sokka collapsed into the nearest chair, trying not to let his weariness show. Leaning back, he massaged his temple, trying to rub the last few hours from his memory. Toph, meanwhile, was sitting quietly on the edge of the bed, slouched slightly, her elbows resting on her knees. Her brow was creased in consternation, her usually restless spirit quelled for the moment. Finally she could stand it no longer,

"Sokka?" she began quietly.

"Hmmm?" he questioned.

"Do you think Katara is going to be alright?" she asked.

"What?" he mumbled, not really paying attention.

"Will Katara be alright?" she repeated, searching for her own personal confirmation.

"I don't know, Toph." He answered, "But I really don't want to talk about it right now."

"But when are we going to talk about it?" she pressed, "You didn't want to have a big discussion in front of Aang and now he's gone. Please talk to me. I want to help but," she paused, contemplating her next few words, "I'm feeling kind of helpless right now."

Seeing as this was Toph, Sokka should have realized what it had taken for her to admit that she didn't know what to do, but, the situation being as it was, he didn't take it into account.

"Hmph," he snorted sarcastically. "Aren't we all?"

"Well sorry for caring," Toph quipped, feeling slightly hurt.

Whipping his hand away from his temple, Sokka proceeded to glare at his earthbending friend. In a fit of frustration and pent up worry, he finally snapped,

"Well what did you expect!?" he said sharply. "My sister has been kidnapped, she's being held by some insane psychopath, and we're being forced to complete a list of illegal—and probably dangerous—tasks until this guy either gets bored with us or decides to hurt Katara!"

At the thought of Katara being hurt, or even tortured, Sokka's eyes narrowed, and hands tightened, leaving deep indentations on the arms of the chair. "And I swear to Agni that if that bastard has done anything to hurt Katara, I will hunt him until my dying breath. And when I find him," Sokka paused, a low, ironic chuckle escaping his lips, "and believe me, I will, he will experience pain unlike anything he has ever known. And before he dies, he will look me in the eyes and beg for mercy. And when he begs—"

"Sokka!?" Toph almost yelled, breaking off his rant, her voice quavering slightly, "Stop it, you're scaring me! Do you even hear yourself?"

She paused, not hearing a response except for a quiet sniffle. A large part of her wanted to ignore him, especially after his outburst, but she knew she needed to set her pride aside for the moment. Usually she was the one who needed guidance because of her eyes, but now it was Sokka's turn.

Taking a moment to scoot off the bed and pad over to the chair where Sokka was sitting, she gently lay a hand on his shoulder, "Listen Snoozles, I love Katara too, you know. She's the closest thing I've ever had to a sister and I won't let anything happen to her either," she paused for a moment, "but I need you too. You can't let yourself become the thing you hate. Katara wouldn't want that—and neither would I."

Toph spoke with the quiet conviction that stemmed from a heavy heart and mind, and when she finished, Sokka finally broke. Large, rolling tears began to stream quietly down his face. Unashamedly, he refused to wipe at them, or even dry his eyes; he simply wept. The tears pooled for a moment on his upper lip before tumbling over and cascading down his chin, creating small stains on his shirt below.

Toph's heart, already troubled from the day's events, went out to Sokka when she felt his shoulders heave and heard him sniffle. Slowly walking into the bathroom, Toph grabbed a washcloth off the wall and gently began to wipe the tears from Sokka's chin. She had never really felt this way before—so motherly, like it was her duty to comfort her friend. It was so different from her normal mindset and yet it still felt so natural.

Gently placing her hand under Sokka's chin, she raised his head until it felt like he was looking at her. "Sokka, it will be alright. You still have Aang," she paused for a moment, "and you still have me. We'll get through this like we always have."

Touched by her uncharacteristic tenderness, Sokka stood up slowly and embraced his friend in a tight hug. He didn't say anything—for no words were needed. He merely held her tightly, his faced pressed against the side of her head, tears slowly soaking into her hair, passing the time, and awaiting Aang's return.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed it! I struggled a bit with this last part, didn't want Toph to seem OOC. I feel like it turned out pretty good--strenuous circumstances often bring out a variety of emotions. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks.**

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	8. Ana and Shong Ti

**Hey, so I would've had this up earlier but I was gone Friday and Saturday, so sorry to those of you who were waiting for an update earlier this weekend. Anyway, got this chapter done and I'm pretty happy with how it turned out--but please let me know if you think there is something I could do better.**

**Thanks again to those of you who reviewed last chapter; I really appreciate it.**

**I do not own Avatar: the Last Airbender or the characters (except for the ones I made up)**

**Hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

**Ana and Shong Ti**

Aang returned to the room later that evening, exhausted from the day and his trip into the catacombs. Upon entering the room, he saw Sokka slumped, asleep in a chair, his eyes were a puffy red and barely dry tears stained his cheek. Toph, meanwhile, was sprawled out on her stomach on the bed, asleep as well; her previously pristine dress was rumpled and hair was a tangled mess on the pillow beside her head.

When Aang entered the room, he tried to quietly shut the door. Unfortunately, Sokka heard him enter and slowly sat up, rubbing his eyes,

"Did you get the scroll from the catacombs?" he mumbled.

Aang nodded, pulling the ancient scroll out from inside his robes.

"What are you going to do now?" a still drowsy Sokka asked.

"I guess the only thing we can do—what the message said." Aang started, somewhat reluctantly. "Place the scroll outside on the balcony and await further instructions. Hopefully," he tried, in an attempt at optimism, "his next note will tell us where Katara is."

Not picking her head up from the pillow, Toph sighed, "Keep dreaming Twinkletoes. There's no way this guy would go to all the trouble of capturing Katara and enlisting our help just to get a simple scroll. We're going to be at this a lot longer than we'd like…"

"Well I'm sorry for trying to have a little optimism!" Aang snapped. "Why don't we all just give up and go home then?!"

Before Toph could come up with an adequate retort, Sokka had stood up, laying a hand on Aang's bicep, turning him gently so he could look him in the eye.

"You know we won't do that Aang, so don't ever say that again." Sokka's voice was calm, but there was no mistaking the steel behind his words. "We. Will. Find. Katara."

With that, he turned, going back to his chair, leaving Aang standing in the middle of the room, Sokka's bloodshot eyes and firm voice still echoing in his mind.

Meanwhile, Toph had come over; her shoulders were slumped as well, her cloudy eyes lacking their usual spark. Going over to Sokka, she laid a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it gently.

She could sympathize with his pain—it was something she had felt on occasion during their journeys. The regret, the doubt, the uncertainty of if she would ever see her parents again, if they would even accept her, was something she had had to deal with. She would never admit it to anyone, but it the doubt ate at her.

Katara's absence had to be tugging at Sokka's heart as well, and that was a pain that—despite her tough exterior—she could understand. Turning to face Aang, she said,

"Put the scroll outside, and then go get some sleep. I have a feeling we won't be staying in the fire nation very long." Her voice was calm, no longer carrying its sharp tone.

Nodding to Toph, Aang quietly stepped out onto the balcony, and laid the scroll in a small basket. Reentering the room and sliding the door to the balcony shut, Aang silently opened the door that had connected their two rooms and left Toph and Sokka in silence.

"Come on, Sokka," Toph said, gently helping him to his feet. "You need to get some rest."

Allowing Toph to guide him to the bed, Sokka collapsed on one side, sighing, he tried to let some of the weight of the day drain out of him. Climbing onto the other side, Toph curled up as well and tried to sleep. She listened to Sokka's shallow but rhythmic breathing, and eventually let sleep take her as well.

* * *

"Psssst Sokka. Sokka. Sokka!"

A still drowsy Sokka rolled over and squinted at the agitated airbender who was trying to get his attention.

"What is it Aang?" he asked. "It's like six in the morning. Couldn't this have waited a bit longer?"

"No," Aang hissed back, "we have a new message and we need to get ready to leave."

Finally capturing his attention, Sokka sat forward on the bed and heard Toph stir from under the sheets as well.

"Huh?" he asked again, still a bit groggy, "just let me see it please."

He took the new scroll from Aang's hand, scanned it once, and then began to read it aloud for Toph's benefit.

"_Dear Avatar Aang and Friends—,"_

"What?" exclaimed Toph, sitting up in bed, "we don't have names now?"

"Shhhh, just let me read," Sokka said.

Mollified but still perturbed, Toph crossed her arms across her chest, a thin scowl on her face.

Sokka began again,

"_Dear Avatar Aang and Friends,_

_I am pleased to see that you have chosen to play my little game. Trust me when I say you won't be disappointed and that the lovely Ms. Katara is safe and sound—for now. _

_My next task for all of you will be slightly more interesting than a simple game of fetch the scroll; in fact, it is of a more personal nature for one of you. What I require now will be relatively easy to find but difficult to obtain. _

_I ask only this: that you journey to the Isle named for Avatar Kyoshi and gather a scale from one of the many elephant koi that inhabit its bay. Don't bother looking for one that has fallen off or washed up on shore; I need a fresh one and I will know the difference. _

_Remember time is of the essence, so I suggest you hurry along and pack your sky-bison. I need not remind you that Katara's safety rests firmly in your capable hands young Avatar. I will pick up the scale in the same manner by which I obtained the scroll. Until next time."_

As was with the last message, a centipede coiled around the blade of a dagger was stamped in the lower left hand corner.

"Well," Sokka grumbled, "It looks like we should get going. Aang, you go grab some food for our trip, I'll get our bedrolls. It's about two or three days to Kyoshi Island from here so don't forget your packs; we're not coming back here for anything."

Aang nodded, "I did it all before I woke you guys. I figured you needed your sleep—and it's not like I could get any myself anyway."

Sokka cracked a small smile, "Alright thanks. We really appreciate it, but," he added seriously, "don't let yourself get too worn down; you're going to need to sleep at some point."

"I know," Aang conceded, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as Sokka's comment brought him back to the time leading up to the Invasion on the Day of Black Sun. "Now let's hurry, Appa's waiting for us outside."

"Alright, we'll be there in a few minutes, unless, "he glanced side long at a still drowsy Toph, "Toph here needs some extra time in the bathroom to get ready."

"Right," Toph snorted, punching Sokka in the arm, "you spend more time in there then I do."

"Do not," Sokka protested indignantly.

"Do to," Toph shot back, "you're probably staring at your reflection in the mirror the whole time—or flexing."

Sokka chuckled, slowly shaking his head, "Ok, whatever you say Toph, but in that case I should probably use the bathroom first. You won't mind, will you?"

"Of course not," Toph taunted, "consider it yours, Snoozles."

Sokka rolled his eyes, _At least some things around here haven't changed_, he thought, glad for a little normalcy. And with that, he slowly staggered into the bathroom and began getting ready for what was sure to be a long day.

* * *

"_Welcome home," a voice grated, tossing her roughly into a damp, dark room. _

_Katara skidded across the surface, trying to roll to avoid landing on her head—and only partially succeeding. Her hands were still manacled behind her back, and her feet were bound as well. She rolled over onto her back and tried to scoot her back against the wall. Squinting, she tried to scowl her captor, but could only make out a rough, hazy black outline standing in the doorway. _

_Laughing at her look of pained derision, the figure turned to leave the cell, but before he could, his voice laced with contempt, he spat over his shoulder, "Oh, and I'm sure you'll enjoy your cellmate."_

_Katara cringed at this last comment, drawing her knees closer to her chest, trying to make herself smaller as she scanned the dark corners of her cell, looking for any sign of life. After a few tense minutes, Katara began to relax, thinking that the man was probably bluffing, when she suddenly heard a slight scraping from the dark corner opposite hers._

"_Wh…who…who's there?" she quavered, still slightly recovering from being locked up for so long._

_No answer came and the shuffling continued, seeming to grow louder with every passing moment._

"_Heeellllooo?" Katara tried again._

_Then Katara saw a withered hand appear in the small patch of light that was let in through the small window in her cell door. A small whimper escaped her lips; her feet scrabbled against the loose stone on the floor as she tried ineffectually to move backward into the wall._

"_It's been a long time since I had a cellmate," a low, gravelly voice spoke from across the cell._

_Katara said nothing, hoping that she could somehow remain invisible despite her tiny cell._

"_Oh come now," the voice chuckled, "I'm not going to hurt you, in fact, I'm just glad to have someone to talk to after all these years."_

_Slowly, the hand that Katara had seen in the patch of light was joined by a woman's face. The woman Katara could see looked like she was probably in her late forties or early fifties, but her time in prison had aged her considerably. Her eyes were haggard and cheeks gaunt and pale, her hair, which looked to have been a rich, full black, was a faded ash. Her amber eyes looked tired as if they had seen and experienced atrocity upon atrocity; thin wrinkles dotted their corners, softening rather than aging her overall appearance. A thin smile flashed across her face, _

"_My name is Ana," she started again, nodding to Katara, "and I've been here for at least ten years—as far as I can tell. They tell me I'm here for crimes against the state, whatever that means," a dry laugh escaped her thin frame. "And I've been here for so long that it all blurs together; I'm not even sure why they still keep me here. Perhaps they'll let me go today," she snorted sarcastically, "just like they said last week, and the week before that, and the one before that."_

_Katara just stared at the woman, as if seeing an aberration. She seemed, at least to her, to have been a kindly woman whom the world spat upon, and over time, her confidence and optimism had been eroded to a thin cynicism. She opened her mouth to say something in return when a figure entered the room._

_This man, unlike the previous one, exuded an air of confidence and contempt. His jet black hair was pulled back and gathered in a short, severe pony tail, he was clean shaven, and two thick eyebrows slashed across a stern face. A few premature wrinkles lined his forehead, adding to his air of perpetual irritability and disdain._

_Despite his startling features, he still managed to contort his face into a feral grin when he saw Katara,_

"_Ah, Miss Katara, it is good to see you up and about. I see you've met your cellmate…Ana."_

_Katara recoiled at the sound of his voice, it seemed so familiar and yet she could not place it. Regardless, it sent shivers down her spine._

_The mysterious man laughed at Katara's fear, his smile broadening, "I'm sorry," he began. "Where are my manners? I seem to have you at a disadvantage—I know your name but you don't know mine. Allow me to introduce myself," he bowed mockingly, "I am Shong Ti, and the other people you may see are my servants and associates. Please do as they say, it will make your stay that much more comfortable."_

_Katara frowned, "But, who are you?"_

"_Ah," he chuckled, "but that would be telling, wouldn't it? Suffice for now to say that I'm an opportunist. I take the situations and opportunities that present themselves and work them to my advantage."_

_A sudden surge of anger overcame Katara's timidity, "Like kidnapping me!? What did I ever do to you? What opportunity are you trying to exploit with me? You're just another man who wants to destroy the peace we worked so hard to obtain! You just want to hurt Aang!"_

"_You mistake my intentions young water bender," he countered, beginning to grow angry, "I am working for an eternal peace—one that even surpasses the constant cycle of the avatar's reincarnations. No longer will the world need to wait, wondering where the avatar is, wondering if he can restore his infamous balance to the universe. No—I will provide a lasting peace—one that cannot be easily destroyed."_

_The forcefulness of his conviction drew a quiet gasp from Katara before Shong Ti continued, pulling a small key from his pocket._

"_Now," he began slowly, "I am a reasonable man and as a result I will let your wrists and ankles free, but do not take me for a fool. I know of your water bending prowess, and believe me, I will not hesitate to cuff you for the duration of your stay if it comes to that. And I warn you, any step out of line, any hesitation to do what I or my guards say will result in immediate and harsh consequences. Any attempt at bending will result in you being instantly chained, and," he lowered his voice, and took a step toward Katara, "will result in Ana being punished as well. And you wouldn't want that would you?"_

_Katara resisted the urge to spit on his boot and stayed still, her desire to have her arms and legs free overcoming her defiance._

_Shong Ti watched her internal struggle with glee and smiled when he saw her slump back against her cell. Handing the key to the guard, he told him to un-cuff Katara. _

_As he was walking out of the cell, he called over his shoulder, "Behave and your stay here will be bearable. Misbehave and I can make it so you will never see your precious avatar again."_

_Katara scowled at his retreating back, and allowed the guard to remove the shackles around her wrists and ankles. Rubbing the raw ribbons of flesh that marred her limbs, she allowed her first real show of emotion. Quiet tears streamed down her face and a hushed sniffle escaped her. Wishing it would all go away; Katara curled up in the corner of her cell and tried to digest what had just happened._

* * *

"Toph…"

"Hmmm," she groaned, "What do you want Snoozles? It has got to be around six in the morning. Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I…I wondered if you wanted to watch the sunrise with me?" He stuttered, "We should be at Kyoshi Island in a few hours."

"Sokka," Toph groaned again, too tired to think up some sarcastic retort, rolling over so she faced away from him on Appa's saddle, "I'm blind. I can't see the sunrise. Now let me sleep, please."

She heard Sokka sigh and slump back against the saddle. Trying to get more comfortable in the relatively small saddle, Toph rolled over again, her arm brushing Sokka's leg. She was surprised to feel an elevated heart rate.

Slowly sitting up and leaning back against her side of the saddle, Toph frowned in Sokka's direction.

"Sokka," she asked, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Toph," he muttered, "don't worry about it. Just go back to sleep."

She frowned at him, "Sokka, I don't even need my earthbending to tell that you're lying."

After a brief pause, Sokka finally spoke, "Look Toph, I…I scared myself too." He paused for a moment, letting the silence hang in the air, "You know, when I was talking to Aang a couple days ago? For a second there I wasn't myself. It was almost like someone else took over my body. I wanted to apologize for saying those things. I will do everything in my power to get Katara back—but I won't compromise you or Aang. I was thinking about how much you guys mean so much to me, and," a small sniffle escaped him as his composure cracked for the first time, "I…I couldn't live without you."

Toph felt a small blush tinge her cheeks when Sokka spoke his last words, but she resisted the impulse to turn away and hide her feelings like she usually did. Instead she crawled over until she was next to Sokka. Tentatively reaching out and finding his arm, she traced it down to his hand. Feeling his much larger fingers close around hers, she pulled him into a quick hug. Pulling back, she tilted her face up toward where she assumed his was,

"Sokka, we—I know that you would never do anything to intentionally put me in harm's way, and I can't tell you how much that means to me. But, I want to you know that we need you right now," she paused for a moment before admitting, "I need you. Aang looks up to you, and if we're going to get through this, you need to be strong. You can do it. I know you can because you've done it before—when we were fighting Fire Lord Ozai you were the voice of reason, you were the leader."

Toph paused again, unsure of what else to say, the air heavy with her personal confirmation. She opened her mouth to continue when Sokka pulled her into a bone crushing hug. Holding her tight, she heard him whisper in her ear,

"Thanks Toph."

She smiled, a slight shiver running down her spine when she felt his breath so close to her ear, and returned the hug.

The two of them sat together for the next few hours, Sokka simply watching the sun rise, Toph feeling its growing warm, as Appa slowly approached Kyoshi Island.

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**Well I hope you liked it. Please Please Please let me know what you think. Just click the little button below, thanks!**


	9. The First Head of the Chimera

**Alright, here's the next bit of my story. Hope it changes things up a bit and injects a little more action into the plot.**

**Thanks to those who reviewed last chapter.**

**Disclaimer**

**Enjoy!**

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**The First Head of the Chimera**

"Finally!" Sokka exclaimed, jumping down onto the sandy beach of Kyoshi Isle's largest bay. "I was getting really tired of sitting in that saddle."

"Oh come on Snoozles," Toph teased as he helped her down, "It's not like we haven't travelled before."

"I know," Sokka complained, rubbing his back side, "but we haven't had to travel like that for years now. I'm getting too old for this."

Toph snorted and even Aang, who had just jumped down from atop Appa's head, cracked a smile.

"Come on," he called, "Let's get this stuff unpacked and head into Kyoshi so we can spend the night in a real bed."

"Awwww, you don't want to sleep on the cold, hard ground like we always did." Toph joked, "It would be just like old times."

Sokka scowled, "Not funny Toph. Besides we need to go into town anyway, maybe Suki will know someone who can help us catch an elephant koi."

At Suki's name, Toph frowned—not in anger but in reflection—as she silently contemplated asking Sokka further about what had happened between them. All she knew is that they had parted amiably some time ago. But before she could bring words to her thoughts, Aang interrupted,

"Sokka's right, Toph," he began. "We're going to need all the help we can get, and finding Suki is probably the best way to do that."

"Alright," Toph conceded, "but let's get a move on."

Shouldering her pack, she began to head toward the village, instinctually sending out vibrations to feel the surrounding area.

Just beyond the tree line, she felt them.

"Sokka," she called, "the Kyoshi warriors don't happen to ride giant rhino-lizards, do they?"

"No," Sokka said, frowning, "Why do you ask?"

Before Toph could answer, a giant Komodo Rhino stepped out of the tree line and into view.

The man on the saddle struck an imposing figure. He was covered from head to toe in a dark, metal armor, a helmet covered his head and a striking red face plate completed the image. Not a centimeter of bare flesh was showing. Seeing and speaking through the small slits in the faceplate, he turned his head in the direction of the blind earthbender.

"Must you spoil everything, little one?" He said irritably.

Drawing his staff and pointing it at the warrior, Aang spoke firmly and directly, "Who are you and what do you want?"

The figure laughed, "Ah yes, the infamous avatar. I was hoping it was you when I spotted the sky-bison. It seems my patience has been rewarded. I've been waiting for this day for a long time now."

Frowning, but not taking his eyes off the man, Aang spoke again, "Who are you!? I've never seen you before and I'm certain I would remember."

Chuckling to himself, the man reached into his satchel and began idly playing with the stick of dynamite he brought out,

"I'm a bit disappointed you don't remember our brief battle, but I'm not that surprised. You so easily forget that your actions have far reaching consequences. Your war and the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai affected many."

Miming a slight bow, he continued, "My name is Yeh-Lu, demolitions expert and lone survivor of the Rough Rhinos."

"Look," Aang began again, "sir, we mean you no harm. Please, we have urgent business in town. There is no need to fight."

"Oh, but there is," Yeh-Lu insisted. "You have caused me much pain and suffering—and that debt is one I plan to collect."

"But what have I ever done to you?" Aang cried, slightly exasperated.

As he began to speak, Aang heard a subtle dip in his voice and the wistful undertones that spoke of nostalgia.

"We took the fall of Fire Lord Ozai in stride," he continued, regaining his composure, "and although we were not pleased with your new fire lord, we could accept your actions for what they were.

However, one day, the world—the world you created—turned against us."

Seeing Aang's blank look, he pressed on,

"Colonel Mongke and the rest of us were scouting deep in the back country of the earth kingdom when we were ambushed by a numerically superior group of earthbenders. We were simply minding our own business."

Frowning at Aang's skeptical look, his voice dropped to a low growl before continuing, "We were travelling to a small town called Irashi. We had heard they were looking to hire some men to protect their town—apparently you didn't quite get all the firebenders, avatar."

Sokka snorted in derision at this last comment.

Shifting atop his mount, Yeh-Lu continued, "Anyway, these men blamed us for the destruction of their village—whatever god-forsaken village it was—solely because we looked like members of the fire nation.

The colonel tried to explain that we weren't from the fire nation and that we meant them no harm, but they wouldn't listen. They insisted that we needed to be taught a lesson," Yeh-Lu snorted, "and teach them a lesson we did.

We must have taken out at least thirty of the benders before Kahchi fell, and after he did it was like the rest of them smelled blood. Another fifty men poured out of the surrounding trees, screaming like feral moose-lions, swarming Vachir and Ogodei.

It was at this point the colonel tried to call for a halt and surrender, but it was too late—we were surrounded.

I still remember the final look he gave me—the look of a wrongly condemned man who had chosen to accept his fate nonetheless. He nodded once to me and then created a raging inferno. He surrounded both himself and me with his bending, slowly moving us out of the circle of benders. We were untouchable.

When we reached the edge, he motioned for me to make a run for it. Stupidly, I did, neglecting to notice that the colonel had used all his energy and strength to free us. I turned in enough time to see an earthbender send a stone through the back of his skull. I wanted to return, to die with him, but I knew the only way to honor his memory would be to go to the source—the avatar."

Yeh-Lu paused in his lengthy monologue to stare at Aang, who was still trying to take everything in, and remained speechless. Sokka, on the other hand, found his voice,

"But how can you blame Aang for this? You can't hold him responsible for the actions of one group of earthbenders!"

"Ah," Yeh-Lu exclaimed, "but I can. You see the avatar is supposed to bring balance and order to the world—he is supposed to provide stability."

He spat on the ground, "Ozai provided stability. Everyone knew their place; there was no question as to the order of power in the world. And then you," he roughly flicked his hand in Aang's direction, "decided to take it upon yourself to bring this so called _balance_ to the world."

He forced out the last word like it was a curse, "All you have brought is more pain and suffering—and that is why I fight you."

"But how will killing Aang bring balance?" Sokka pressed.

Yeh-Lu's voice dropped as he spoke, "There is a new force in this world—one that will be more powerful than even you, young avatar. He is our hope. He is the new balance."

Motioning with his right hand, ten more Komodo Rhinos stepped out of the trees. Each rider was armored similarly to Yeh-Lu but without the faceplate. Each wore an expression of deep contempt as they gazed on Aang and his friends.

"I will give you the chance that I was never given," he bit out, "Surrender now and I will let your friends go and promise you a quick and relatively painless death."

Tired of being ignored, Toph stepped forward, taking a fighting stance. "Not in your wildest dreams. Come on Twinkletoes, we can take them."

To the right of Toph, Sokka drew his sword and took a similar stance, ready for battle.

To everyone's surprise, Yeh-Lu laughed,

"Do not think that I have forgotten about you young earthbender."

And reaching into his satchel he withdrew three small explosives and tossed them onto the ground between the opposing groups.

The three objects exploded inches above the ground, blowing earth and dust high into the sky, forcing Sokka to take a couple steps backward to avoid being blown away. In addition to the typical blast, the explosives were accompanied by a large, sonic boom that emanated from their center.

Shaking his head, Sokka tried to clear the dull ache from his mind as his vision swam in front of him and his ears rang. He saw Aang airbend much of the dust away and begin to charge Yeh-Lu and his troops. Looking to the left, he noticed Toph kneeling down, her hands covering her ears, a slight trickle of blood running from under her hands and down onto the sides of her neck.

Sokka reacted immediately, running to her side.

"Toph!" he called, "Are you alright?"

When she didn't respond, he tried again, "Toph!"

Still not answering, Sokka grabbed her shoulder and shook it.

She reacted immediately, sending a pillar of earth into the middle of his chest, knocking him backwards.

"Owwww, Toph," Sokka whined, rubbing his chest, "It's me."

Toph still didn't respond. Kneeling, she placed her head in her hands. Her misty eyes were wide, bewildered and lost as she tried to discern what was going on around her.

Tentatively, she reached out a hand to try and feel the ground. She came within inches of actually touching it when another explosion rocked the earth, and she recoiled quickly.

Sokka turned briefly back to the battle and saw that Aang had incapacitated two of the soldiers, but Yeh-Lu and the others were quickly gaining the upper hand. He would need their help very soon.

Then suddenly, cutting through the din of battle, Sokka heard Toph call his name,

"So-Sokkkka?" she called, sounding very frightened and small.

Responding immediately, Sokka slowly crawled over to Toph, gently reaching out and squeezing her hand. He felt her begin to pull away again so he held on tighter, finally gaining her attention.

"Sokka?" she called loudly. "Is that you? My head hurts so much that I can't concentrate on feeling vibrations."

"Yeah, I'm here Toph," He almost yelled.

"What!?" Toph yelled, "Why are you whispering?"

"I'm not!" Sokka yelled, almost directly into her ear. "Your ears look like their hurt!"

Realization finally dawned in Toph's hazy eyes and she clutched at Sokka. He had never seen her this way, so small and helpless—so blind.

Taking her hands and placing them around his neck, he gently lifted her off the ground and jogged as best he could toward Appa, silently thanking the spirits that Yeh-Lu and his men seemed intent on attacking Aang rather than the two of them. For once he was glad not to be a bender; it made him less of a target.

Reaching Appa, he bent over to let Toph down. Feeling the bison's soft fur, Toph relaxed her grip on Sokka and leaned back against Appa's leg.

Sokka, meanwhile, looked back at the battle, and was horrified by what he saw. Aang was in the middle of a ring of Komodo Rhinos, desperately trying to find a way out. Every time he managed to earthbend an opening for himself, another soldier would toss an explosive or a sword would flash in front of him. They were slowly contracting their circle, trying to capture him unharmed.

Seeing Aang's predicament, Sokka drew his sword and began running toward the battle, screaming incoherent challenges and curses upon the soldiers. Unfortunately for him, he was too far off and of too little consequence for the soldiers to notice for the time being.

The soldiers closed the circle again and Sokka saw Yeh-Lu draw an exceptionally large grenade from his bag. Just as he was reaching for the wick to light it, a streak of green flashed down from the overhanging trees, knocking the grenade from his hand, and him from his mount.

Almost simultaneously, three other blurs dropped from the surrounding trees, two incapacitated their targets with swift kicks to the head, while the third miscalculated, landing awkwardly on an outstretched ankle, the leg twisting sickeningly under the body.

Aang had been running out of non-fatal alternatives to his situation when the Kyoshi Warriors had attacked. Their attack was well-timed and precise, with Suki landing a blow to Yeh-Lu's midsection just as he was pulling out a particularly nasty looking grenade.

Landing, knees bent to absorb the blow and fans outstretched in the center of the now dissolving ring of soldiers, Suki nodded once to Aang before jumping to protect her fallen comrade. A quick duck and roll under a sword brought her inside the guard of her opponent, while a sudden pull of his outstretched arm brought him tumbling off. A swift kick to the jaw and it was all over.

Suddenly a sharp whistle sounded over the din of battle and Yeh-Lu, who had proceeded to remount his Rhino, waved a hand to his soldiers. The five remaining Rhinos wheeled about and began to retreat back into the woods.

Aang, his back to the beach, watched as the soldiers disappeared as suddenly as they had arrived, a somber expression on his face. No matter how many times he tried to think of the world—the world he had in so many ways shaped—as in balance, in a state of peace; it always seemed to give him reason to doubt.

Lost in thought, he didn't notice the soldier, who he had knocked out earlier, get up slowly and raise his sword to strike him in the back.

"Aang!" Suki called out, finally noticing the danger.

Aang whirled to face his opponent, but it was too late; he was simply too slow. Time seemed to blur as he saw the soldier's sword gradually descend toward his neck.

Suddenly, the soldier's face, which had previously worn a mask of pained determination, changed to one of shock. His sword slowed, allowing Aang to sidestep the blow as both he and his sword clattered to the ground.

Behind the man stood Sokka, a grim expression creased his brow, a look of sorrow in his eyes. Slowly withdrawing his sword from the man's back, he shook his head to Aang. He had no choice—it was either him or Aang—and that was not a trade he was willing to make.

Stepping over the fallen man, Sokka pulled Suki into a quick, polite hug,

"Thanks," he said, "we owe you."

"No problem," she smiled. "It's been far too long since you've visited anyway, although this," she motioned to the bodies lying on the ground, "was not what I had in mind."

"Yeah," Sokka snorted, "seriously…" He let his voice trail off, silently surveying the destruction the few soldiers had caused.

Bringing himself out of his self-imposed revere; he turned back to Suki,

"So what have you been up to? How are things here on the island?"

Suki smirked at the warrior and shook her head, "You still haven't changed, have you?"

Before Sokka could adequately respond, the Kyoshi Warrior spoke up again, "Things have been alright here—a little rough the past year—but still good." Glancing over at her fallen comrade, she groaned, "But right now we need to get Lani to the see the healers. It looks like her ankle may have been broken in the fall."

Suddenly Sokka's face froze, a sudden realization hitting him.

"Sokka?" Suki asked worriedly, "what's wrong?"

Not saying anything, but turning and sprinting back toward Appa, Sokka left Suki and Aang staring at his retreating figure. Suki looked over at Aang who shrugged, and began to go around and bind the unconscious soldier's hands with his earthbending.

Sokka, meanwhile, finally skidded to stop beside Appa, out of breath.

"Sokka?" a small voice came from beside Appa's leg, "Is that you?"

Bending down so he could speak more directly into Toph's ear, Sokka said, "Yeah, Toph, it's me. Now we're going to get you some help so I'm going to have to carry you again, ok?"

Not saying anything, but simply reaching her arms up, Sokka brought them around his neck as he picked the small earthbender up. Wiggling around a bit in an attempt to work herself into a more comfortable position, Toph relaxed and let Sokka carry her. The throbbing in her head was beginning to lessen but she was still worried about her ears. Most of the world remained silent.

Bringing Toph over to where Suki and Aang were standing, they both frowned worriedly, not knowing that Toph had been hurt.

"What happened?" Aang asked, coming quickly over to Sokka's side.

"It was those first three grenades that Yeh-Lu threw," he explained. "Remember that loud noise they gave off when they exploded?"

Both Suki and Aang nodded, still perplexed.

"Well," Sokka continued, "after we were blown back by the explosion, I got up to get back into the battle, but I saw Toph on the ground, clutching her ears. I'm not exactly sure what happened but she can't hear very well and those grenades messed with her head. She needs to see your healers as soon as she can."

"Of course," Suki responded immediately, pointing at one of the warriors who was helping Lani up the slope to the village, "follow Ty Lee, she's going there now."

Turning at the sound of Suki's voice, a huge smile spread across a familiar looking face. As upbeat and positive as ever, Ty Lee waved enthusiastically at Sokka,

"Come on, Sokka," she called, "I'll show you the way."

When Sokka had caught up with her, she, Lani, and the other warrior began their slow trek into the village.

"So Sokka," she began, "how've you been doing? Things have been great here. I really love my life with the Kyoshi Warriors. It's so much more interesting than the fire nation. Have you seen Mai lately? I really miss her—and Zuko too of course! It's so strange to think of him as the Fire Lord; I just can't get used to it. What are you guys doi—"

"Ty Lee!" Sokka almost shouted.

"Hmmm?" she asked, oblivious to her own ramblings.

"Toph's ears are hurt and I don't think you should be talking so loudly so close to her ears," he reasoned.

"Is this better?" she asked, whispering obnoxiously.

Sokka sighed, "No not really, but continue if you must…"

"Oh, ok good," she whispered, completely missing his sarcasm. "So, where was I? Oh yeah! So wha—"

Sokka groaned, knowing it was going to be a long walk into the village; and, as he began to trudge up the hill, he could have sworn he heard Toph chuckle in his arms.

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**Nope, Ty Lee's not gone! Anyway, if you liked it or have any thoughts for me, I'd appreciate hearing from you via a review. Regardless thanks for reading.**

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	10. Parallels

**Ok here's what I've written for this week. Hope you like it.**

**Thanks again to those of you who reviewed last time.**

**I don't own A:TLA so please don't sue me.**

**Enjoy!**

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**Parallels**

About twenty minutes later—although Sokka could have sworn it was more like an hour—Ty Lee finally led their small group to the undersized building that was supposedly home to the island's best healers.

Lani, whose injury was more easily diagnosable, was immediately led over to a nearby bed and sat down, where one of the healers began working on her ankle.

Toph, however, was a tougher case. A middle-aged man came over when Sokka carried her inside, and, seeing the dried blood that had seeped from her ears, curtly asked,

"What happened? What can you tell me about this young lady's condition?"

Setting Toph gently on the edge of one of the beds, he turned to explain the situation to the healer, mindful to keep Toph's hand in his.

"Well," he explained, "we don't really know. One of the men we were fighting threw these grenades that gave off an extremely loud blast when they exploded. It was far louder than any normal explosive and when I got over to Toph," he motioned to the girl next to him, "her ears were bleeding and she couldn't hear very well."

"Hmmm," the healer mumbled, going over to Toph and gently placing a hand on her shoulder. Toph flinched initially when the man touched her, not know exactly what was going on. Gently squeezing her hand, Sokka nodded for the healer to continue.

He then took a wet wash cloth and began to clean some of the dried blood from her neck, trying to clear away some of the blood so he could peer deeper into her ears.

A bit perplexed, he took a step back and began to study Toph closely. Finally, a light seemed to go on and he asked,

"Excuse me, but is your friend blind?"

"Yeah…" Sokka let out slowly, "but I'm not sure what that has to do with it. She's having trouble hearing, not seeing."

The healer chuckled softly, "It has everything to do with it, my friend. You see, because she is blind, her ears have had to become more sensitive to cope with everyday life. When your attacker dropped those explosives, the loud boom that you heard, was probably a very intense, low frequency noise. That noise didn't bother you—or any of the other Kyoshi Warriors—because your ears are not as sensitive as hers.

Unfortunately for Toph, it may to have come close to rupturing her eardrums, and I'm sure it gave her an extremely bad headache. This headache may have also clouded her perception which in turn probably affected her internal equilibrium."

When Sokka contorted his face into a frown, the healer elaborated,

"By internal equilibrium I mean your body's balance—its ability to cope with changes to its environment. When that balance is upset it's similar to when you or I get extremely dizzy. In Toph's case, however, I would imagine it to be like the worst case of dizziness or disorientation you've ever had coupled with not being able to see."

Sokka nodded, finally understanding the healer, "So can you help her?"

The healer frowned, "Yes, but I can only do so much. I can give you some herbal tea that will help with the headache, but that will most likely subside with time. For her ears, I am going to give you a soothing cream to apply that should promote quicker healing, and I'm also going to give you a solution to put in them. If you apply both of these religiously for the next couple days, I should think she will be alright."

Taking a moment to scour his shelves for the proper medications, the healer soon came back with the needed supplies.

Taking the medication and the tea from the healer, Sokka helped Toph to her feet. Bending down, he spoke into her ear,

"Toph, the healer said you're going to be alright, but you're going to have to drink this tea and let me or Aang put these drops and this cream in your ear, ok?"

"Sure Snoozles," she said, still holding his hand and taking a couple tentative steps forward. "Whatever it's going to take. But," she added, a slight smirk on her face, "if you touch my feet I'll kill you."

Sokka snorted, not sure why Toph thought he would be touching her feet, but glad that she was still able to joke. The thing that worried him most, however, was her hearing. The healer had assured him that everything should return back to normal but he wasn't going to take any chances. The last thing he wanted was for there to be any permanent damage to Toph's ears.

Increasing his stride so that he was now leading Toph, they went outside and stood on the deck for a couple minutes while Sokka scanned the road for any sign of Suki or Aang. Apparently, they had gone off to get a couple rooms ready while Sokka had taken Toph to the healer.

Finally spotting Aang pacing nervously across the street, Sokka waved him over. Jogging to the pair, he immediately asked,

"So how is she? Is she going to be alright?"

"Yeah," Sokka explained, "the healer said she was going to be fine as long as we apply these drops and this cream to her ears every day and give her this tea when we get back to our rooms."

Aang cracked a relieved smile, "That's good," he breathed. "Come on, I'll show you to the rooms Suki set up for us. They're pretty nice and I'm sure you'd both like to get off your feet for a bit."

"That's for sure," Sokka agreed.

"Oh," Aang hastened to add, "Suki said that you don't need to worry about dinner tonight and that she would have some food sent over to our rooms shortly. She would, however, like talk with us tomorrow over lunch." He paused for a second, "and I think that would be a good time to tell her why we came."

Sokka nodded, "I think that's probably a good idea. Maybe she'll have some idea on how we can get a scale from an elephant koi—but," he paused, letting out a breath, "let's not worry about that right now. Let's get Toph back to the room and give her this medication; we can talk with Suki in the morning."

"Alright," Aang conceded as he led the way through the streets toward their rooms.

* * *

"Sir, I believe it is imperative that we send some of our troops to search for Princess Azula," General Zian stated.

Fire Lord Zuko frowned; he had called this meeting of generals to discuss Azula's escape and their best possible course of action, but so far the discussion was going nowhere. Apparently none of the generals wanted to address the most important point of the discussion—the fact that no one knew where Azula was and what her plans were now that she was free.

The room in which he and the eight generals sat was much like the war room his father had kept. The map of the world was still in the middle and the men knelt on either side of it, but in contrast to his father, Zuko had refused to sit upon the raised dais and gaze down on his subjects; instead he had elected to kneel at the head of the map in front of them. He felt it demonstrated that he was in charge, but it also made him an approachable figure, one who was willing to listen to a reasonable argument—even if it was in opposition to his.

Zuko cleared his throat, quickly gaining the attention of everyone in the room. Nodding to General Zian, he spoke,

"Thank you for your thoughts General, but perhaps we are all missing the point. We don't know where Princess Azula is or what her plans are now that she has her freedom. I believe that answering the latter question first is the most important because it will provide us with the most information and hopefully lead us to her. Therefore, I pose this question to all of you: what do we know about the possible reasons for Azula's escape? Do we have any more information from the doctor? Has anything been found in her cell?"

This time, General Jong stood and spoke up, acknowledging the Fire Lord first with a short bow,

"I regret to say that we have relatively no new information from the prison. We have interrogated the doctor, but there is little he seems to know. He insists that he did not leave his house that day to come to the prison, and there are others who can confirm his alibi. I am inclined to believe him despite the evidence. It is almost as if another, identical person entered the prison that day."

"Impossible!" the man kneeling across from General Jong exclaimed. "We know for a fact that the doctor showed up for work, came into Princess Azula's cell, escorted her from it, and then, when they were a safe distance from the prison, turned on our guards. There is no confusion!"

"General Xian," Fire Lord Zuko stated calmly, "I understand your anger, especially in light of the fact that your nephew was one of the guards who was attacked, but I need you to remain objective. There is ample evidence that the doctor was both at the prison and at home."

Motioning to General Jong, he waited for him to continue.

The man nodded, "As I was saying, the doctor seems to know nothing of what happened at the prison that day, and there are others who can confirm he never left his house. The only interesting information we were able to obtain was from a few townspeople who noticed a strange man leading a woman away in the direction of the coast. The woman's description matches that of Princess Azula, but there is no way to know for certain. It is believed that, if these two people were indeed the princess and the supposed doctor, they could have headed to the coast and boarded a ship. I'm afraid to say that they may have gone anywhere from there."

General Jong finished his statement and sat down, and for several seconds silence reigned. General Zian started to stand again to offer another opinion when a new voice cut through the silence.

"Fire Lord, begging your pardon, but I have an idea."

Everyone turned to see this new voice, and were shocked to see the young aide of General Jong addressing the Fire Lord. They held their breath, waiting to see what would happen. Under Fire Lord Ozai, speaking out of turn, or even—in the case of this aide—speaking at all, was at best, an insult, at worst, gross insubordination worthy of banishment or possibly an Agni Kai.

The Fire Lord turned and studied the young aide. The boy was probably no older than fifteen judging by the way his uniform sagged over his slender body. He wore a slightly worried, but determined expression on his face.

Zuko let a small smile flash across his pensive face, this young man's position was probably not much different than his own when he had spoken out in his father's war room on that infamous day. Subconsciously brushing his scar, Zuko nodded to the boy,

"And what is your name son?"

"My…my name, sir?" He stuttered, finally realizing the gravity of his outburst.

Zuko nodded for him to continue.

The boy gulped, bowing, "Shoji, sir."

Zuko smiled and walked over to the boy. Placing a hand on his shoulder, he turned and addressed the entire room,

"Generals, do I need to remind you again that I am not my father?"

He slowly looked around the room, meeting the eyes of each of his generals, "I will never be the person my father was, but believe it or not, I learned a lot from that man. He taught me—albeit through cruel methods—that standing up for what you believe is never wrong."

Holding up a hand to forestall any questions or comments, he continued, "Now I realize that my father gave me this scar, and that he was a monster; but ultimately, his decision to condemn me to hunt the avatar was the one that made me into the man I am today. My travels and experiences taught me what was necessary to lead this nation as its Fire Lord, and, if there is ever a day when I am naïve enough to assume that I know everything there is to know, then I hope each and every one of you will stand up and tell me—just like young Shoji has done today."

He paused for a moment before looking down at the boy, "Although next time, I think it would be better to ask the General first before you speak."

Shoji looked relieved, but still gulped and nodded under the Fire Lord's gaze.

"Now," Zuko said, patting him on the shoulder and returning to his spot at the head of the map, "please continue."

"Well," Shoji began haltingly, slowly gaining confidence with each passing line, "You, sir, know the princess the best, but it is quite possible that," he paused for a moment, searching for the right words, "in her _affected_ state, she may want to return to the things she is most comfortable with, or knows from her childhood."

He hastened to add after seeing the confusion on Zuko's face, "The reason I suggest this is because of my grandmother. She has, over the last few years, contracted a disease that sometimes causes her mind to revert back to a younger state. Her body is still whole but her mind is affected. From what I understand, this is similar to the princess's condition.

My grandmother frequently forgets things, often acts irrationally, but usually she simply asks for this blanket she had as a child. She is most content when she can just hold that blanket—it is a form of comfort for her. I am not sure why, but she has grown attached to it again.

So my question—my suggestion—is to look for anything she may have been attached to when she was younger, anything that had special significance for her that you may have accidentally overlooked. Is there anything you have that she may want to retrieve? It could give you some insight into where she was going."

Zuko sat for a very long time simply thinking about what Shoji had said. His argument was reasoned and logical, and frankly, none of the Generals had come up with anything better. He racked his memory for something—anything—that could be a clue, and he was about to admit defeat when a thought hit him.

Jumping to his feet, he spoke quickly,

"Shoji, you may have just saved us a lot of time, money, and energy searching for my sister."

Noting the confused stares of many of the Generals, he explained,

"When my sister and I were young, and my uncle, the former General Iroh, was fighting in the war, he would often send us gifts back from the towns he conquered. Normally they were dolls or something else that Azula just used for firebending practice, but there was one thing in particular that she didn't burn. It was this fan that my uncle had sent her."

Elaborating further, he continued, "On it was a beautiful depiction of an earthbender and a firebender fighting side by side, and, for whatever reason, it caught her interest. She would never admit it to anyone, but I caught her just looking at the fan a couple times, and she would often hide it when I came into the room."

"But where is it now?" General Xian interrupted.

"I gave it back to my uncle when he was last here. When he was visiting the palace, he mentioned that it would have been something his son, Lu Ten, would have liked, so I thought it was apt to give it to him. He must have taken it back with him to his tea shop in Ba Sing Se."

The realization of his last conclusion hit him in an instant, and he hurriedly finished,

"And the doctor had mentioned that Azula kept talking about some fan while she was in her cell. He thought it was mindless babble but I told him about the fan anyway and that I had given it back to Iroh, and if he told her…"

Standing, speaking quickly and authoritatively, Zuko ordered,

"General, prepare my airship and gather a division of troops. I am going to Ba Sing Se to see my uncle."

"But sir," General Jong protested, "don't you think this is a bit premature? For all we know the princess has no intention of finding this fan. And besides, how would she know where your uncle is?"

Turning abruptly, Zuko spoke, "She would remember from the time when she and the Dai Li captured the city, and no, I do not believe this is premature. My uncle has been a father to me throughout my life—I will not allow any harm to come to him. Now please, ready my ship and the troops, that is an order, not a request."

"At once, sir," the General said, bowing as the Fire Lord hurriedly strode from the room to prepare for his mission.

* * *

"_You're late." It was a statement, not a question. It left no room for explanation or excuse—it was simply to be accepted as fact._

_Shong Ti bowed his head as he bent over the large pool of crystal clear water. _

"_I am," he confirmed._

"_Why?" _

_Again, the one word phrase struck a chord deep in his stomach. He hated feeling uncomfortable, inadequate; the sickly, slow eating away of your stomach from the inside that crawled through your belly like a malignant tumor. It was the one emotion that he felt like he couldn't control—the one that gave him the most trouble and yet required the most from of him. Taking a deep breath, he tried to compose his features before answering,_

"_I have no excuse. Things here are simply taking longer than I expected. The young water bender has been most uncooperative—but that will soon change. Thankfully for her, her friends have been most helpful. I foresee no problem in gathering what we need."_

"_Do not be over confident, the avatar is not one to be trifled with." The voice warned, "He has already proven himself a capable warrior once and I have no doubt he can do it again. Appearances can be deceiving." _

_The voice chuckled at this last comment._

_Shong Ti acknowledged this with a slight nod,_

"_I understand my lord. I will not underestimate him. In addition," he continued, "I have procured another resource for our plans."_

"_Oh, and what have you done this time?" The voice carried a tone of condescension and skepticism._

"_I have taken the liberty of freeing the fire nation princess. She will be a most useful asset to our cause, if," he paused for a moment, "she can be contained."_

_The silence that followed seemed to frown at this last comment, _

"_See to it that she does not hinder our plans. We cannot afford any delays. The solstice is not far off."_

"_I am aware, my lord. And I believe that the princess will be an effective agent of chaos and dissension. Her advantages far outweigh the risks." He continued._

"_And she knows nothing more?"_

_Shong Ti smiled, "Nothing. Absolutely nothing."_

"_Good. I expect nothing less."_

"_We eagerly await your arrival; the wheels are turning. It won't be long now." Shong Ti stated._

"_You have done well my servant, but do not grow complacent—I too am not one to be taken lightly. Remember the gift I have bestowed upon you, and remember what I can do even while I am here."_

_Shong Ti gulped, "Of course."_

"_Good, I will contact you soon. Do not fail me."_

"_Never, my lord." He confirmed._

_The pool reverted to its normal stillness, the voice and its malevolence gone for now. Shong Ti stood; it was time to check on his favorite prisoner._

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**Hope you found that interesting. I liked how it worked out! Anyway, if you liked it(or even if you didn't), I'd love to hear your thoughts so please click the cool new review button! Thanks for reading!**

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	11. Of Laughter and Peril

**Hey so I really should have been doing more work this weekend but I had to get this up. I needed to add a little bit of levity into the story so hopefully the beginning here will be a nice digression from the normal, and at some times depressing, tone of the plot.**

**Thanks to those of you that reviewed last chapter, I appreciate hearing from you.**

**I still haven't convinced Mike or Bryan to sell me avatar.**

**Enjoy!**

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Of Laughter and Peril

"Aaaaahhh," Sokka yawned lazily, sitting up in his bed. He rubbed his eyes, feeling very much refreshed after yesterday's battle.

Looking out the window, he noticed that the sun was already high in the sky and that Suki would probably be coming soon to get them for lunch.

Dressing quickly, he noticed Toph's cream sitting on his nightstand. He frowned, wondering briefly why it was in his room and not hers, but hastily dismissed this small conundrum and grabbed the small bottle, heading toward Toph's end of the hallway.

When he reached Toph's door he knocked, thinking the earthbender was probably already up. Surprised when she didn't answer his first knock, he tried again, impatiently pacing in front of the door.

Finally fed up with waiting, he called,

"Toph, are you up yet?"

A bleary, half-mumbled reply came from the other side of the doorway, "I am now, thanks for yelling."

Taking this as his cue to come inside, Sokka opened the door and barged his way into the room—the thought that Toph might not even be decent didn't even cross his mind.

Thankfully, for his personal well-being, she was fully clothed, sprawled out on her bed. Apparently she had not even bothered to get undressed before collapsing.

When Sokka stumbled into her room, Toph rolled over and scowled at the offending warrior,

"Sokka, what are you doing in here? Why can't you just let me sleep?"

Coming over to her side of the bed, he reasoned,

"I came because I needed to make sure we get this cream on your ear. And besides, Suki will be here soon to get us for lunch," he paused for a moment before changing the subject. "But how are your ears feeling today? A little better?"

"Yeah," Toph nodded, "they're definitely a lot better than yesterday. I can actually hear most of what you are saying now, but it's still a little fuzzy. My head is doesn't hurt much either," she added, "I think I should be able to walk around just fine today."

"That's great," Sokka said, flashing a relieved smile. "Now, sit up so I can get this cream on your ears."

"You know Snoozles," she said, not sitting up and crossing her arms across her chest, "I'm sure I can put it on myself. I don't need you to do it for me."

Sokka sighed, "Toph, just sit up and let me do it. I want to make sure it's done right, besides, it'll take me thirty seconds."

Begrudgingly, Toph sat up, still not happy about Sokka "babying" her. Briefly, she considered telling him that he was acting like Katara, but thought better of it in light of their current circumstances.

"Alright Toph, now this is going to be a little cold," Sokka began, reaching toward her ear.

"Just shut it and get it over with Snoozles," she retorted. "I don't need you acting like my mother."

Sokka just snorted and began silently massaging the cream into the all the nooks and crannies of Toph's ear.

Toph, who could barely believe she was actually letting Sokka do this, did—ironically—have to admit that it felt good, and that Sokka was surprisingly good at this sort of thing. She opened her mouth to ask him where he had done this before but thought it better to avoid that particularly awkward line of questioning. And, if she was completely honest with herself, she was a little disappointed when he finished one ear and began to move to the other.

Moving to the other ear, Sokka accidentally brushed Toph's nose with his hand, leaving, unbeknownst to her, a dot of cream on the tip of her nose.

"Oh, sorry Toph," he mumbled, unknowingly using the hand that was covered with cream to wipe the small dot off Toph's nose, and in the process, managing to wipe even more cream onto her face.

"Sokka!" Toph exclaimed. "What are you doing?" She paused, bringing a hand up to feel her cheek, "And why does it feel like I have more cream on my face than in my ears?"

Sokka took a moment before answering to admire his handiwork. He, in a matter of seconds, had managed to not only get more cream on Toph's nose, but also smear a line across her forehead and leave some on her chin and cheek.

Deciding the best course of action was to ignore Toph's observations for the moment and try to rectify the problem, Sokka, from his seated position on the bed, bent over her body, propping himself up with one arm so he could use the other more easily.

"Just hold still for a second. I'm going to get some of the cream off." He told her.

Fed up with Sokka's incompetence, Toph reached out, intending to grab his arm before it reached her face, but instead, she grabbed the arm Sokka was had been using to hold himself up.

Pushing the arm away from her, Toph heard Sokka let out a small yelp of surprise as he found his means of support gone, and he toppled down directly on top of her.

Catching himself with his elbows, he avoided fully landing on Toph, but only as far as managing to prop his chest up off hers. The two just lay there in a stunned silence for a couple of seconds, both of their faces tinged in a growing blush.

"Sokka," Toph groaned, pushing Sokka off her rather roughly and onto the other side of the bed next to her, "I would ask how you managed to end up on top of me, but I don't really care. You have got to be the clumsiest person in the world."

"Well," Sokka teased, deciding to make the most of the moment, "If someone hadn't grabbed my arm, I wouldn't have landed on top of them. It's almost," he gambled, "like they _wanted_ it to happen."

"Sokka!" Toph yelled, whipping her arm to the side and hitting Sokka in the stomach to hide her ever increasing blush. "Look," she stuttered, "just—just give me the cream. I'll finish it up myself."

Sokka chuckled, trying to play off the whole situation as a total accident, and handed Toph the cream—which he somehow was still holding on to.

However, truth be told, in the briefest of moments when his face had been inches from Toph's, he couldn't help but notice her—he hesitated to even consider using the word—cute, button-like nose and her, smooth, soft lips. He would have been lying to himself if he had denied that he had had, in that fleeting moment, the desire to kiss her.

"Hey guys," Aang called as he pushed open the door to Toph's room that Sokka had left slightly ajar, "Suki's here, she wants to know if you're ready for lun—"

He stopped, not quite sure what to make of what he saw in front of him. Sokka was lying on the bed next to a sitting Toph, who still had white cream smeared on her nose, chin, and forehead. She was—somewhat unsuccessfully—trying to rub some of the cream from the bottle she was holding into her ear. Sokka's right hand, however, was conspicuously covered in the same cream and both of them seemed slightly flustered and their faces a tad flushed.

A mischievous smirk flashed across face, "Well if I had known you guys wanted more time, I wouldn't have just barged in. You really should shut the door next time."

Both Sokka and Toph just froze, a stunned silence descending between them as they tried to comprehend Aang's words. Toph was the first to break the silence,

"Can it, Twinkletoes!" she shouted, flinging the bottle of cream in the direction of his voice.

Aang laughed, willing for the moment to forget about his worries and troubles and simply enjoy teasing his friends, as he dodged the surprisingly accurate bottle of cream that Toph had hurled.

Ducking out into the hallway, he called back over his shoulder,

"I'll give you five minutes to get out here, think that'll be enough?"

He smiled as he heard Toph snarl another incoherent retort before demanding,

"Sokka, get out of my bed."

This last statement was punctuated by a loud thump, and followed by a groan from Sokka. Aang just smiled and wondered when those two would ever figure it out.

* * *

"Fire Lord, we are approaching the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, what are your orders?" an aide asked Zuko as he stood, purveying the land before him.

"Set us down," he answered. "There is no reason to alarm to the populous by taking the airship over the walls. But," he continued, "I want a messenger hawk sent to the Earth King immediately. I want him to know of our intentions so that my presence does not cause him alarm. I also want to make sure we do not have any trouble with from troops when we get inside the wall. I will only be going in with a small force troops, but I do not want to be unnecessarily delayed. My uncle's life could be at stake."

"And…?" A voice asked expectantly from behind him.

Zuko sighed, recognizing the voice and already conceding, "And my wife will be coming along as well."

"And don't ever forget it," Mai teased wryly as she came up behind Zuko, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek. "I'll go down and get ready."

Zuko smiled and nodded as Mai left him. The aide, meanwhile, seemed slightly confused,

"Sir," he began carefully, "are you sure that's wise?"

Zuko chuckled at the aide's comment before shaking his head. He leaned back against the railing before answering,

"You know, if there has been one thing I've learned in my time with Mai is that she is capable—well, more than capable—of taking care of herself. There's nothing I could do to change her mind, and it wouldn't get me anywhere if I tried. Besides," he paused, winking at the aide, "there's no other place I'd rather have her."

The aide nodded and then smiled before taking his leave,

"Very good sir, we'll set down in a few moments."

* * *

About half an hour later, the airship was safely on the ground and Fire Lord Zuko was pacing in front of the five elite troops that would be accompanying him and his wife into the city.

"Alright men," he began in a solemn tone, "We don't have much time, therefore I am going to be short and to the point. There is the distinct possibility that my sister, the Fire Princess Azula, will be inside those walls. I want you to know that—despite her mental state—I still consider her my sister, and by consequence, family. That means you are not to attack her unless she attacks you, or is threatening innocents. I want you to make every effort to capture her unharmed; however," he paused for a moment to let the gravity of his statement seeks in, "If the choice is between her life and the lives of the citizens of Ba Sing Se, I ask you to not hesitate to strike. I know what my sister is capable of, and the significance my words, but believe me when I say that it is not something I take lightly. I would not ask anything of you that I do not expect of myself. Now, any questions?"

When there were none, he nodded,

"Very good. Now let's go." And with that, Fire Lord Zuko, followed by Mai and the five troops turned their lizard mounts toward the great walls of Ba Sing Se, leaving the airship far behind.

* * *

_Katara was tired—no actually she was exhausted—even though she knew she had little reason to be. She hadn't done anything except sit in her corner, talk briefly with Ana, and try to sleep. She had eaten only a little of the disgusting slop they threw in her cell twice a day every day, and because of this, she had grown lethargic and weak. _

_Ana had insisted that she eat simply to keep her strength up, but Katara couldn't stomach much more than two or three mouthfuls before she felt like vomiting. Mostly, she sat in the corner, knees pulled to her chest, thinking about Aang, Sokka, and Toph._

_She missed them so much that it had almost become a physical need. There seemed to be a hollow part in her stomach that, if her crossed arms squeezed tight enough, would fill the void left by her family. _

_Adding to her troubles, she had lost track of time without the benefit of outside light, and as far as she knew, she may have been down in the cell for a week or a month._

_Ana, ironically, was the one of the few things that kept Katara sane. They would talk on and off about random things—usually whatever happened to be on their minds at the time. _

_Ana was very evasive about her past, but Katara could respect that. A person had a right to keep secrets, especially a woman like her. The cynicism and sarcasm were always there, but occasionally there were glimpses of the happiness and warmth—glimpses of the woman she once was. _

_Katara reached up toward her neck, grasping for the item that simply was not there. Her mother's necklace, even though it was only a small piece of jewelry, had seemed to become part of her over the years. When she was worried about Aang, she would sometimes take it off and rub her thumb over the ridges. It calmed her nerves and helped her to remember her family. _

_Just as she was about to lapse into another long silence, Ana motioned to her from the opposite corner._

_Almost immediately, the door swung open, letting its harsh, biting light into the dim room. Into the swath of light stepped Shong Ti, his dark outline stood in stark contrast to the brilliance of the light; his face the antithesis of warmth and comfort._

_Shong Ti stood in the opening for a moment, allowing the two women to tremble a bit as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. The young water bender had shrunk from him, and was now curled up in one corner, while Ana sat in the other, gazing warily up at him._

"_You there," he ordered, pointing to Katara. "Come here."_

"_Wh…why?" she asked, trying in vain to remain inconspicuous against the cold, dark wall._

"_Because I said so!" Shong Ti exclaimed, "I do not need any other reason, nor do I need any questions from you. Now, do as you're told!"_

_Reluctantly, Katara stood and slowly shuffled over to her captor._

"_There," his voice dropped to a low purr, like a cat approaching its cornered prey. "Now what do we have here?" He asked almost teasingly, gently running the side of his hand down the dried trail of tears that marred her face. _

_Katara flinched when she felt his cool, clammy hands make contact with her skin, but resisted crying out, hoping to simply cooperate and make him go away. Finally, his hand came to a rest under her chin._

"_Get away from me!" Katara finally snapped, trying to jerk her head away from the monster in front of her. _

_Almost immediately the hand that had been on her chin was at the back of her neck, restraining her movement._

_Shong Ti bent down, gazing deeply into Katara's eyes. His own features contorted in anger, his eyes a smoldering contrast to Katara's wide, frightened orbs._

"_Never," he whispered, slowly crescendoing as he finished his statement, "talk back to me!" And in one quick motion, he slapped her cheek—hard._

_Katara let out a gasp, turning with the blow, a red hand print appearing slowly on her cheek._

_Shong Ti chuckled at the sight of the water bender who had taken a few steps back and was now gazing furiously up at him. _

_Watching this man—no, he did not even warrant being called a man—infuriated Katara, she didn't care who he was or what else he might do to her, but she would not be tortured like this without a fight. _

_Her hands trembled as she formed a tight fist and released it slowly. Her veins began to pulse, her eyes widened, and she gathered herself to attack Shong Ti. _

_Suddenly a firm but soft hand appeared on her shoulder, startling her from her revere._

"_Leave. Now."_

"_Oh? She speaks?" Shong Ti laughed, "And what makes you think I care what you say?"_

"_Oh, I'm sure you don't," Ana retorted, a bit of venom entering her voice. "But I thought you wouldn't have to stoop to slapping little girls just to take out some of your anger."_

_Shong Ti seemed taken aback by Ana's words, it was as if the last thing he expected was any opposition from her. He stood there for a moment, trying to think of an adequate retort. _

_When he couldn't, he continued on, a bit more flustered than when he started,_

"_It seems you need a little persuading, a little reminder," he paused for a moment, "of the gravity of your situation. Don't forget, I hold your life—and the lives of your friends—in my hands." He withdrew to the doorway and shook his head tauntingly to the two women. "And now, I bid you ladies goodnight." And with that, Shong Ti strode from the cell, leaving the guard to close the door behind him._

_Seeing Shong Ti finally leave, Katara collapsed into the nearest solid object she could find—in this case, Ana's shoulder. She tensed when she realized what she had done, but relaxed when she felt Ana enclose her in a surprisingly soft hug._

_She held Katara for a while, and when she finally pulled back and began wiping at her tears, she whispered,_

"_Do not worry Katara, for all hope is not lost. A very wise man once told me that when you find yourself lost—when times seem the darkest—look not to what you've lost but to what you already have."_

"_Hmmm?" Katara asked, not completely understanding Ana's wisdom._

"_What I'm trying to say," she comforted, "is don't forget your friends. Don't forget all they've done for you—don't forget all you've done for them. They're coming for you, which," she chuckled dryly, dropping back into her usual cynicism, "is more than I can say for myself. I think my friends long forgotten about me."_

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**Hope that was interesting, I really liked how it turned out. Anyways, I'd love to know what you think so please review!**


	12. The Tale of Two Tales

**Well here's the next chapter of my story. Hope you enjoyed the last one and kept you wanting more. Thanks to those of you who reviewed. It's always encourages me when I get to hear what other people think of my work, so more reviews would definitely get me writing faster and probably you all more updates.**

**Disclaimer.**

**Hope you enjoy!****

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**The Tale of Two Tales**

"Hey, Sokka and Toph, we're over here," Suki waved from partway down the street where she and Aang had been waiting.

As she watched Sokka and Toph approach, she couldn't help but smile, "I hope you guys got a good night's sleep; we all needed it after yesterday."

Sokka looked at Aang and grinned. "Sure did," he answered for the both of them.

"And Toph," Suki continued, turning to the blind earthbender, "how are you doing? Feeling better today?"

"Much better," Toph commented wryly. "I can actually hear what you're saying now."

"That's good," Suki agreed.

Sokka, having already lost interest in the brief conversation, had caught a whiff of something in the air and had left the group, weaving back and forth across the road, nose in the air, trying to determine where it was coming from. He hadn't gone far when Toph flicked a pebble across his forehead.

"Huh?" he looked up, bewildered. "Who was that?"

"Sokka," Suki asked, "what are you doing?"

"Looking for the food," he answered matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Suki shook her head, "You haven't changed a bit." Motioning to the group, she continued, "Come on guys; let's go before Sokka eats something he shouldn't."

Toph snickered as the group began to follow Suki down the road.

Catching Sokka's scowl, Suki turned and whispered to Aang, "Do I want to know?"

He smiled and shook his head, "No you really don't."

Suki chuckled and led the group into a small café on the edge of town. Sitting down at a large table, she watched the three of them try to relax and begin to scan their menus. Suki, however, could still sense the nervousness and worry that was just below surface, waiting for the right moment, the right prompting, to surface.

She had dated Sokka for too long a time not to notice when he was worried, and now that the battle was over, he was definitely working hard not to think about something. Aang was obviously worried as well—his usual upbeat attitude and smile were conspicuously missing—and Suki did not have to look much beyond Katara's absence to know that it involved her.

Toph, on the other hand, was a tougher nut to crack. Her expression did not give much away and her recent injury sent mixed signals; but, simply based upon her observations, she was unquestionably stressed too.

As she watched Sokka and Toph interact, she noticed how easily he slipped back into the role of her eyes like he had during their journeys before the conclusion of the war. She doubted Toph would ever admit it, but Sokka provided her extra insights into life that she simply couldn't have without her vision.

Currently, he was trying—and failing—to suggest a meal for the blind earthbender, and Suki almost laughed aloud at Toph's expressions. They varied by the second, going from a calm disbelief to an outraged indignation by the time Sokka had finished his sentence. Finally, she lost her temper and threw her hands in the air, snidely reminding him that he wasn't her father and that she could choose what she wanted to eat without his help.

Suki smirked at this last comment. It was obvious to her that Toph had some feelings for Sokka, but whether those were merely the feelings of a best friend or something more, she simply couldn't tell. She had gotten hints throughout their travels that Toph had had a crush on Sokka when she was younger but she had always been good at hiding her feelings. And, from her own experience, Suki knew Sokka was rather oblivious; after all, she basically had to ask him out herself before he truly got the hint.

Ambiguities aside, Toph had most certainly matured from the young tomboy she had been to a beautiful young woman—and Sokka was bound to notice that sooner or later, but whether they were simply lapsing back into the close friendship they had had, or if there was something more, only time would tell.

Until then, however, Suki was determined to help her friends in any way she could.

"So," she began cautiously, "I suppose you guys should begin by telling me why you're here. As much as I'd be flattered if this was only a social call; I doubt that's the case."

Sokka and Aang exchanged a worried glance, while Toph suddenly decided that the cracks on the floor were far more interesting than the table conversation.

At a nod from Aang, Sokka took a deep breath before beginning,

"Well, I'll save you the extended version of our troubles, but it all began when the four of us were invited, like we are every year, to the palace to celebrate the anniversary of the passing of Sozin's Comet."

Suki nodded; she had gotten an invitation as well but had been unable to attend.

"Things were going well; we enjoyed seeing Mai and Zuko again and even had a little time to simply relax, but things changed during the party. Katara and Aang were," he glanced meaningfully at the avatar to his left, "on their own for most of the time so I wasn't around.

But Katara," he paused again, looking down at his hands, "was mad at Toph and me for putting cactus juice in some of the guest's drinks. You know," he smiled half-heartedly, looking for some sympathy, "to make the party more interesting."

A smile tugged at Suki's lips, but she simply acknowledged the fact and did not press Sokka further. He obviously felt guilty about his prank and she did not want to seem insensitive by making a joke that could possibly interrupt the somber atmosphere. Even Toph, it seemed, felt kind of bad about the incident.

"Well apparently," Sokka continued, glancing over at Aang for confirmation, "Katara was pretty angry, so she decided to come looking for us."

He frowned briefly, "We're not sure what happened after this, but our best guess is that when she couldn't find us, she went outside for a bit to let off some steam. We don't know what happened while she was outside but when Aang got worried and went looking for her, he found this."

Aang carefully withdrew a piece of folded paper from his pocket and gave it wordlessly to Suki, who quickly scanned the document. About part way down, her eyes widened and a small gasp escaped her lips.

"Oh guys," she exclaimed, "I'm so sorry. What can I do?"

"Hold on a second," Sokka cautioned, raising a hand, "the story doesn't end there."

A nod of confirmation from Suki allowed him to continue, "As I'm sure you read in the letter, this person wanted us to steal the ancient history of Fire Lord Liang-shek from the Dragon Bone Catacombs. We had a little help, but thankfully we were able to get Aang inside and get the scroll without too much trouble."

Pausing for a moment to place a comforting hand on Aang's shoulder, Sokka continued, "After Aang brought back the scroll, we placed it outside as per the instructions in the letter. The next day we awoke to find this message and then came to see you. We didn't even tell Zuko that we were leaving."

Again Aang took another piece of folded paper from his pocket and handed it to Suki. This time she read it more carefully, trying to memorize what it said.

Finally satisfied that she understood what was needed of her, she frowned at the group,

"Just because I live next to some giant fish doesn't mean I actually know how to catch them," she half-teased.

Sokka opened his mouth to say something when, she smiled and continued,

"But," she said, holding both hands up to forestall any comments, "I know how important this is and I will do whatever I can to help. I think I may have an idea, but we're going to need the help of some townspeople to do it. How you're going to get a scale off the fish, however, is up to you."

Sokka nodded, "Well let's take it one step at a time. That's all we can do at this point."

"You're right," Suki agreed. "Now let's enjoy this food while we've got the chance."

And for once, no one protested.

* * *

As Zuko, Mai, and the five soldiers thundered through the gates and streets of Ba Sing Se, they drew many strange, frightened glances from the onlookers that were forced to jump aside to get out of the way of their stampeding lizards.

Thankfully, it appeared that the Earth King—or at least someone in the palace—had gotten their messenger hawk, because as soon as they came into view of their next gate, the guards were already opening it.

As they passed through the final gate into the upper ring, Zuko glanced backwards, making sure that Mai and the other soldiers were still with him.

Seeing that they were, he held a hand in the air and made a quick, circling motion. Almost immediately, four of the soldiers split into two pairs and began to flank their target.

Zuko, Mai, and the remaining soldier approached the Jasmine Dragon slowly from the front, noting that one window had been blown out and that scorch marks marred the partially shattered frame. Dismounting tentatively, he approached the closed doors that opened into the main dining room of the teashop.

At a signal from Mai, he burst through the doors, his hands up in an en guard position. He scanned the left side of the teashop, allowing Mai to cover the right.

Almost simultaneously, two of the other soldiers burst through a side door, while the other two entered through the back.

Zuko cringed when he heard the distinctive crash of a tea pot falling to the floor—his uncle would not be happy if anyone upset his beloved china.

A quick scan of shop indicated that it was empty—save for a young woman who had been sweeping up some broken glass when the soldiers burst in.

"Uncle!" Zuko called, "Where are you? Are you alright?"

Poking his head through the serving window that was behind the counter, Zuko was relieved to see that his uncle was unharmed, although he did appear slightly startled at the soldiers' sudden entry.

Wiping his hands on his apron as he stepped around the counter and out into the dining area, Iroh embraced his nephew warmly.

"I must say," he greeted, "it is good to see you again, Fire Lord. Although I wish it was under better circumstances—for both me and," he grimaced, "my teapot."

"Azula," Zuko demanded, not wanting to get sidetracked, "she was here?"

Iroh nodded, "Indeed she was, as," he motioned to the broken window and the scorches on the wall, "you can see from the damage."

"But what did she want?" He pressed, "Do you know why she came?"

Iroh chuckled, holding up his hands in mock surrender, "Come Zuko, we have much to discuss, but first," he smiled, "why don't you call your men over and let's all have some tea."

Zuko sighed, a wry smile flickered across his face, there was no reasoning with his uncle when it came to tea. He held up a hand and motioned his men over.

When everyone was seated, Iroh approached the table with a tray, intending to serve the men tea before sitting down himself. Just as he was setting the tray down and beginning to pour the cups, one of the men stood up,

"Sir," he began tentatively, "if you don't mind me saying so, you shouldn't be the one serving us tea. We should be serving you. The Dragon of the West, the Liberator of Ba Sing Se," he paused. "You have done so much for us—I can't in good conscious allow you to serve me tea."

Several of the other soldiers around the table nodded their assent.

Iroh smiled, putting the teapot down and placing a hand on the man's shoulder,

"Lieutenant," he began, "I admire your courage and your frankness, but I'm afraid you misunderstand my intentions. I serve you tea not because I view it as an obligation, but because I want to.

You see, one of the many things I learned from my time at war was that you must take advantage of each and every day. Each moment, each hour that you are given is a gift—your next hour, even your next minute, is never guaranteed.

This tea," he motioned to the pot on the table, "symbolizes my thanks, my desire to give back to you what little I can—for it is on all of you that the future rests. The continued peace of this nation and the others rests squarely on your shoulders. So please, sit, and allow me this pleasure."

Reluctantly, the Lieutenant sat, understanding shown deep in his eyes.

As Iroh went around the table, serving first Zuko and Mai, then each man a cup of tea before taking one himself, he began explaining what had gone on,

"Azula was here yesterday, about late morning, right before the lunch rush. The few customers that were here scattered when she burst through the door. Apparently," he chuckled, "her reputation preceded her.

The window you saw from the outside was her way of letting me know she was here—it was her way of trying to establish her authority. Regardless, Jin and I managed to steer a couple customers out through the back before I stepped out from behind the counter to confront her.

As I resigned myself to another battle I did not want to fight, a most surprising thing happened. A man followed Azula through the door.

This man was like very few I have ever seen. Physically he was relatively non-descript, a fit looking male between thirty and forty years of age with a very short, black ponytail; but when he entered the room, his aura of command, his presence, was palpable.

He simply entered the room behind Azula and stood off to the side, his arms crossed over his chest. He didn't move throughout the whole confrontation except to follow her out when she was done."

The Dragon of the West turned to face the Fire Lord, a look of concern etched on his face,

"Zuko," he began again, "I do not know who this man was, but the only thing I can conclude is that he was very dangerous. Your father, my brother, often gave this same impression when he came into a room—the impression that he was in charge and that he would not tolerate any insubordination, any deviation from his will.

This man had an even stronger presence than Ozai, and I can only conclude that he was behind your sister's escape. She was never one to simply follow someone on a whim."

"Wait," Zuko interrupted, "you're under the impression that my sister was following this man? Like as a soldier or bodyguard?"

Iroh frowned, "No," he shook his head, "I would not think that. I would guess that he would be using her name—your father's name—to garner support from those that did not appreciate the change of leadership."

Zuko nodded, this strange scene was beginning to make some sense, but he still had many unanswered questions.

"But what did she want?" He began again, not wanting to bias his uncle with his own hypotheses until he had at least heard his opinion. "Did she give a reason for coming into your teashop and blowing out your window?"

"For breaking my window?" Iroh chuckled, "No, I think she just did that for fun, but for coming into my teashop?" He paused, "I think I may have an idea. When she burst through the door, I could tell that, although her condition had improved because of some of the treatment you provided for her, she still wasn't completely there. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, her hair lay down her back uncombed, and her stance seemed weak. She was still a formidable opponent, but not the firebending prodigy that Ozai so enjoyed.

We stood there for a moment, facing each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. I readied myself to redirect lightning that never came. Instead of lightning, she just laughed—it was the kind of laugh that made your skin crawl and spine tingle.

Then, surprisingly, she dropped her hands and began wandering around the shop, not even acknowledging my presence or my being. She paused once, trying to stare directly at me as if she wanted to say something but only succeeding in staring off over my left shoulder. She seemed to be thinking, contemplating her next course of action.

It was at this point that the man by the door cleared his throat loudly. This noise, whether it was a calculated action or not, startled Azula out of her revere.

Almost immediately, unprompted by me, she launched into a dialogue about how she had found a man even greater than her father. A man who knew how to truly bring balance to the world, not the "façade" of peace that the avatar had brought."

"But what did she want?" Zuko asked, getting tired of his uncle's long-winded rendition.

"Quite simply," Iroh stated, "to recruit me. She offered me my former rank of general in what she called the growing ranks of rebellion. Naturally, I refused, and instead offered her an apartment here. I told her she could stay and we could work through what she was going through."

Mai rolled her eyes, "I'm sure that went over well."

Iroh merely shook his head, "Unfortunately, she simply laughed and ignored my comment, instead opting to walk over to that shelf," he motioned to long shelf that was running above the tables on the wall, "and pick up the fan I had given her during my first campaign here at Ba Sing Se.

Turning to Zuko he asked, "Do you remember it?"

Zuko nodded, "In fact," he began, "that was what led us here. We thought she might have come here to retrieve it because it was something familiar from her past, something that might have brought her comfort."

Uncle Iroh cocked his head, a wry smile coming to his face, "So she actually liked one of my gifts? Interesting. At any rate," he started again, "she told me that it was a pity that I was so much like you, Zuko, and then sauntered out the door.

There wasn't much more to it. When the man by the door simply turned and followed her out, I was struck by the fact that he seemed to be humoring her. I don't think he actually believed that I would join them—it was as if he did it for Azula's sake.

Since then," He motioned to the girl who had resumed sweeping up some of the broken glass, "Jin and I have been trying to clean up this mess. We were almost done when you burst in. I think," he teased his nephew, "that we're going to have to start over now."

Zuko cracked a smile; he was relieved to see that his uncle was alright and the shop had escaped with relatively minor damage. He wasn't, however, happy to know that Azula was on the loose and that she was now working for someone else. He also knew he couldn't underestimate the man Iroh had described—anyone who could leave that impression on his uncle was a great threat indeed.

"Do you have any idea where she might be headed?" Zuko asked.

Iroh stroked his goatee for a moment, before shrugging, "I'm not sure to be frank, but I would guess that they will try to rally more people to their cause. Like it or not, there is still a large group of people out there that do not like your rule. Properly motivated, they could be driven to support someone else.

I would suggest heading south out of the city. In that direction lies some of the outlying colonies of the Earth Kingdom; they are an ideal place for dissidents to hide and a relatively inconspicuous location for people to meet."

"But what about the Si Wong Desert? Do you think she'd be willing to cross that?" Zuko continued.

Iroh drew a deep breath before responding, "My nephew, my wisdom only goes so far and my intuition only a little beyond that. I do not know if she would brave the desert—that would depend on how well she is equipped. My instincts tell me that she would because she has never been one to let any challenge stand in her way, but even she won't be able to cross without stopping at the oasis in the middle. The same one," he smiled at Zuko, "we had to escape in the flower pots."

Zuko glanced over at Mai who was stifling a smile behind her sleeve. Some of the men were trying valiantly to suppress their smirks as well.

Rolling his eyes at his uncle, he grinned,

"Well Uncle, it looks like we will be headed in that direction. Thank you so much for your help."

"Oh, but won't you stay for some more tea?" He teased, nodding toward the already empty pot, "I'm sure you'd like to get reacquainted with Jin—especially after you had to leave after only one date."

"Thanks but I think we need to get going," Zuko began hastily, trying to avoid the comment he knew was coming.

"No, please, we'll stay," Mai cut in, as Zuko sighed and flopped in back in his chair, "I'd love to meet this Jin."

"We'll stay for one cup of tea, no more," Zuko added, trying to save face.

"Alright, I'll call her over," Iroh grinned, turning to call to the green and gold clad waitress who had just about finished cleaning up the glass from the other corner of the shop. "Jin, can we all have some jasmine please?"

She smiled warmly, "Of course sir, I've had some ready since they arrived. Just let me go get it."

Smiling at the thought of some tea, Iroh turned back to the group, "She's such a great waitress. Sometimes it's like she knows what I want even before I ask."

Zuko just rolled his eyes as Mai quietly smirked next to him.

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**Thanks for reading! Please review!**

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	13. Fishing for Giants

**Hey guys, hope that you all had a great Thanksgiving (for those of you that celebrated it). I know I really appreciated the break from class. Too bad they start again next week. =/ Anyway, I still managed to get a chapter together for you guys to read. Thanks again to those of you who reviewed last time.**

**Disclaimer.**

**Enjoy!**

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Fishing for Giants

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Sokka asked for the umpteenth time.

The group had decided yesterday that the best thing to do was take the rest of the day to prepare for their task. Aang had spent most of the time thinking of way to calm the fish so that when they caught it, they could get a scale without permanently hurting it. Suki had gone back into town to gather supplies and talk to some of the townspeople while Sokka and Toph went for quick walk by the bay to familiarize themselves with the area. Their trip really amounted to nothing more than Sokka sharpening his sword and Toph picking her toes, but they had both managed to relax for an afternoon.

Too bad they couldn't even begin to relax the next morning.

The troubles had begun with the net Suki had some of the villagers and other warriors construct. It was a sight to behold—if they could ever get it set up.

The idea behind it was to create a sort of pen to hold the fish until they could calm it down.

Some of the local fisherman had been kind enough to lend them one of their giant fishing nets that was weighted on the bottom so part of it would sink. The only problem was the floats on the top.

Thankfully, Toph easily solved this issue by devising a series of metal clasps that looped around the bottom of the net and over the top so that the net was held suspended about three feet off the bottom of the bay.

Once the fish was drawn inside the arch of the net by some fruits and vegetables that a local cabbage merchant had reluctantly provided, Aang would dive down and cut the clasps with a quick slash of his waterbending.

The plan was great in theory, but in practice, it was much more difficult.

The net was large and ungainly, and as Aang and Sokka worked to lower the net slowly from the fishing boat, it kept getting tangled.

"Sokka," Aang called, "watch your sword, it keeps getting caught in the net."

Sokka grumbled, and reluctantly undid the clasps on his sword and handed it and the sheath to Suki. He glanced enviously toward the beach at Toph, who had refused to go anywhere near the boat, and was now leaning casually against a rock, her hand idly playing with some sand.

"Sokka!" Aang shouted, "Let your side go at the same speed as mine. If you keep letting it go that fast, it's going to end up bunched when it reaches the bottom."

"Alright Aang, I'm trying. Calm down." He snapped, tired of Aang's nagging.

"Well the note said we need to hurry, and we've already spent a lot of time here." He paused for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, collecting his thoughts before speaking again, "and I know that you feel the same way I do. I'm just worried."

Sokka gave a small smile, wiping at the beads of step that dotted his brow, "So am I Aang. So am I. Now come on, let's get this net out and catch this fish."

Aang nodded and they went back to work.

* * *

Toph sat quietly on the beach, wishing she could be of more help. She wanted to go on the boat, but she knew she would just end up getting sea sick. As she had found out when she rode Sokka's crazy invention for the Invasion on the Day of Black Sun, blindness, wooden boat decks, and water did not go well together. After all, it wasn't her fault that all the rocking made her stomach queasy and her head hurt.

Just as she was beginning to nod off into another day dream, she heard a bird flapping high above her head. At first she thought nothing of it, but gradually she realized the wing beats were coming closer and that the bird was coming down right above her.

"Go away," she called, waving her hands above her head in a futile effort to scare the imposter off.

The bird, however, was undeterred, and Toph heard it crash rather gracelessly into the sand a few feet away.

She gathered her feet under her, trying to get a picture of what was happening through the constantly shifting sand.

She felt the bird pause for a moment to shake some sand from its feathers before hopping closer. Then suddenly its head found its way into the palm of her hand.

"Hawky?" She wondered, feeling the bird's familiar head and beak against her skin, "is that you?"

The bird gave a soft screech of confirmation, and rubbed his head against Toph's hand once more.

"Oh fine you stupid bird," she teased, acquiescing to his request and scratching behind his head. "But what are you doing here?"

She had left Hawky with her parents when she had left home a few weeks ago so that they could contact her if they needed to; but she insisted that everything would be alright and that they didn't need to check up on her. They had countered by threatening to send one of the household's guards to the capital with her, but Toph had maintained that Hawky was the best they were going to get, and reluctantly, they agreed.

She felt her pulse begin to race when she realized that Hawky might have brought a message from her parents. She had not seen them in a while but still wondered why they had bothered to send her a message.

"Do you have something for me, Hawky?" She asked rather rhetorically.

Running her hand along his back, she felt for the message container. Opening it slowly, her hand brushed the rolled piece of paper within.

Carefully, she pulled the message out, running her hand along the edge of the paper, her finger contacting the pressed wax of her family's seal—the image of a flying boar.

Gingerly placing the message in the pocket of the coat she had worn over her blouse, she began agitatedly pacing the beach.

She wanted to call for Sokka and ask him to read the message right away, because she knew her parents wouldn't send her a message for no reason; however, she knew that what was most important was retrieving this scale, so she reluctantly accepted that she would have to suffer through the next few hours with her questions unanswered and curiosity unsatisfied.

Hearing an indignant squawk from beside her left foot, Toph grimaced,

"Sorry Hawky, I didn't see you there," she apologized. "But you should know better than to hop along next to my feet. I am blind after all."

Hawky cocked his head and let out a rather shrill screech.

Toph chuckled, "Yeah I don't understand you either, but hopefully Sokka and Aang will be back soon so they can read this message for me."

And with that, she turned her attention back to the bay, hoping to catch a shout or exclamation from the boys on the boat, wishing she could be of more help, hoping this task would be over soon.

* * *

"Ready Aang?" Sokka called.

Aang nodded, hand on one of the many barrels of fruits and vegetables they had brought to attract the koi.

And now, at Sokka's signal, they were slowly tipping barrel after barrel into the water, creating a short but thick trail of food from the center of the bay to the middle of their net.

When they had finished, they both scanned the water anxiously, hoping for immediate results.

Thankfully, after a mere fifteen minutes of waiting, a pair of dark ovals gradually began ascending from the depths. Like two behemoths coming from the abyss to gorge themselves on the feast above, the two giant koi surfaced, their huge mouths greedily sucking in whatever they could fit in their mouths.

Slowly but surely they approached the net, seemingly oblivious to the impending danger.

When the first koi had passed the outermost barrier of one side of the net, Aang, leaving his shirt on the deck, dove off the side of the boat, cutting through the water like a sleek turtle-seal.

Deeper and deeper he dove, using his water bending to drive him further below the surface.

Finally, he reached the base of the net, and with a short, curt motion, cut the first clasp.

Moving quickly, he kicked to the next, cutting this one as well. He repeated this process another ten times and gradually, in a cascade of bubbles, the net began to rise.

Of the two fish, only one noticed the net as it climbed toward the surface; its gigantic tail propelling it over the lip just as the net reached the surface. The other simply continued to eat.

Now, however, with one fish trapped inside, came the most difficult and dangerous part of their plan.

Aang had gone over this portion of his idea with Sokka numerous times, but regardless, they knew it was going to be difficult to pull off.

Just as he had cut the last clasp, Aang had slipped inside the net and propelled himself toward the surface.

He reached the surface in conjunction with the leading edge of the net, gasping for air, coughing up a mouthful of water.

Diving so deep for so long was hard for him, especially after the infamous storm that had caused him to freeze himself in an iceberg for a hundred years. For whatever reason, whenever he was in deep water, that event was always in the back of his mind, a quiet unease just lingering there.

Pushing the anxiety aside, he gathered himself and quickly got his bearings. Almost immediately he spotted the now panicky fish swimming desperately from one side of the enclosure to the other, stirring up the water in its agitation.

Aang knew he had to act quickly before the giant koi escaped and was lost to them forever.

Using his airbending—and prior experience—he waited until the fish had turned and was beginning to swim in his direction, before launching himself high into the air. Coming down directly behind the koi's huge head, he did his best to straddle the large fish.

As he hung on for dear life, Aang steadied himself on the beast by freezing his calves to the side of the fish with his waterbending as it did its very best to buck him from his temporary saddle.

Quickly, Aang composed his features, gripped the fish tightly with his thighs, and stretched out a hand.

When his fingertips contact the cool, damp scales directly between the fish's eyes, Aang's head tilted back, his mouth and eyes open wide.

Unlike the time when he had used his spirit bending on Fire Lord Ozai, Aang did not try to impose his will on the giant koi. Instead, he fought the fish's animal instincts—its desire to flee what it saw as a potentially harmful situation.

The feral, animalistic nature of the koi's thoughts initially confused Aang as he struggled to comprehend the twists and nuances of such an alien brain. Gradually, however, he began to understand the base desires of the giant animal and it began to calm. Its heartbeat slowed, the sweeping of its tail became more rhythmic, and it began to glide deliberately over the surface.

The small part of Aang's consciousness that was still his relaxed, hoping that Sokka could now complete his part of their task.

* * *

Sokka had been watching nervously from the deck of the fishing boat when Aang dove beneath the surface. He paced, silently praying to the spirits that his friend would surface again—he didn't know what he would do if he lost another member of his family.

Releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding, Sokka relaxed slightly as Aang surfaced, sputtering and spitting water as a cough racked his body. He offered a small wave of acknowledgement to Sokka before turning his attention back to the bewildered koi.

Despite all the times Sokka had watched Aang airbend, he never ceased to be amazed by the young man's prowess.

He watched as the young avatar launched himself into the air, landing squarely on the head of the giant fish, and proceeded to calm the it with a simple touch of his outstretched fingertips.

Now, unfortunately, it was his turn to act.

Giving a tight smile to Suki, who had strapped Sokka's briefly discarded sword to her waist while she had been silently manning the bridge, Sokka shed his shirt, checked the short diving knife that was attached to his ankle, and dove in after Aang.

Growing up in the South Pole necessitated a strong swimming stroke at an early age, and as a result, Sokka closed the short distance between the boat and the net quickly. Carefully, he slipped over the net and surveyed the situation.

He watched as the koi swam in benign circles, seemingly oblivious to its surroundings and its predicament. As the fish approached his side of the net, Sokka tentatively reached out a hand, letting it gently glide across the dinner-plate size scales. The fish didn't even react to his touch, but merely continued on its way.

Sokka braced himself, preparing himself for the fish's next pass. He watched as the koi's dorsal fin cut through the surface menacingly, Aang perched on its head like it was only a giant merry-go-round.

Suddenly the fin was upon him, and reaching out an arm, Sokka grabbed a firm hold, letting the fish's momentum swing him up until he was facing backwards, straddling its spine.

_Now_, he thought,_ comes the fun part._

Taking his one free hand, he reached down to his ankle and unclipped the knife.

His plan was relatively simple, he hoped to carefully use the instrument to lift and remove one of the koi's many scales as easily and painlessly as possible. Hopefully, because fish scales were made of keratin—the same substance as his fingernails—it would not cause the fish any pain, and therefore, it would not struggle or react when Sokka removed the large disc.

Everything always seems to work better in theory.

Slowly, Sokka slipped the blade of the knife under the bright orange, elliptical disc and began moving the blade along the edge of the scale, loosening it from its surroundings.

As he traced the outline, Sokka wiggled the scale back and forth like a loose tooth, trying to make it budge. Unfortunately, with one hand holding the fin and the other the knife, he didn't have enough leverage to be very effective.

Taking up the knife again, he traced it down to the root of the scale, trying to be gentle and not disturb the peaceful giant. He wiggled the scale again, and one side released.

He now sat there, staring at the scale that was now hanging by a thread, praying that it would just come out. Running the blade back down the other side of the scale, Sokka tried to replicate his previous maneuver, but just when he thought he had it, the koi twitched.

The twitch wasn't so much of a reaction to the knife, but more of a muscle spasm; however, regardless of the intention, it caused his blade to move ever so slightly and he watched, horrified, as the tip of his knife punctured the soft flesh under the scale.

Thankfully for Sokka, this last movement caused the scale to fall right into his hands; unfortunately for Aang, the fish's pain overrode his control on the fish's mind.

The fragile hold Aang had had shattered, and as his mind scrambled to find a better hold on its consciousness, the koi seemed to fight him, finally throwing him forcibly from its mind.

"Aaaannnggg!" Sokka yelled in surprise as the fish burst into motion.

Free of Aang's control, the fish leapt in frustration, throwing Sokka easily from his back.

Suki, who was still watching from the boat, watched in horror as Sokka's body skipped across the water like a stone, flailing limply until coming to a rest about fifty feet from the net, floating face up.

The fish however, wasn't done with its tirade.

Bucking again, it finally snapped Aang's ice greaves, tossing him to the side like Sokka. Aang, however, used his airbending to slow his descent, and he splashed rather harmlessly into the water off to one side.

In one final act of defiance the fish leapt from the circular net, coming down within feet of the boat, its tail catching the side, shattering wood and splintering the deck.

Smoke poured from hole as the boat began to take on water.

Watching from the water about a hundred yards away, Aang watched as the bow of the boat rose inexorably. It teetered for a moment at the point of no return, before slowly beginning to succumb to the water's will.

Suki let out a yell of pent up frustration and anxiety as she dove off the bow, trying to get as far away from the wreckage as possible. Her strong strokes carrying her away from the sinking ship and toward the still limp body of Sokka, a look of pained desperation etched on her face.

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**Yeah, Sokka's kind of had a rough couple of days...o well. Things have to turn around eventually, right? Let me know what you think, please review.**

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	14. A Cryptic Conversation

**Alright, here's the next chapter. I really like how this turned out and hopefully it at leasts answers a little of the questions I left you with last week. Thanks to those of you that reviewed, I really enjoy hearing from you.**

**Same old I don't own it so don't sue me....**

**Enjoy!**

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A Cryptic Message

Toph was daydreaming when she first heard the shouts of her friends and the splashes of what could only be the koi. Immediately she knew something was wrong.

She stopped moving, stretching her hearing to its limits, but the earlier attack still hadn't fully restored her hearing. All she could make out were a few strangled screams, though she could have sworn she could separate Sokka's voice from the din.

Frustrated, she paced the beach—if there was one thing Toph hated, it was feeling helpless. Being helpless, to Toph, was akin to being weak—to being truly blind.

Although she knew she was physically blind, there were very few moments when she regretted the disability. Oftentimes her feet were more perceptive than other's eyes, but this, however, was one of those moments when she missed not having her sight.

Cursing the spirits, Toph hazarded a couple steps in the direction of her friends—completely forgetting about the water's edge. After taking a few steps, her feet came in contact with something cool and wet.

It took a moment for her mind, which had been previously focused exclusively on the fate of Sokka, Aang, and Suki, to realize that she had stepped into the water.

Recoiling immediately, Toph again cursed her ineptitude and her inability to swim, relegating herself to a continued, uneasy pacing, kicking at the reviled sand—unintentionally startling a previously calm Hawky.

The slightly irritated bird, sensing his friend's disturbance, flew up and landed gently on Toph's shoulder, rubbing his cheek against hers. Toph idly scratched his neck, praying, hoping to have her friends brought back safely.

* * *

Now it was Zuko's turn to curse fate, the Spirits, or whatever larger force one ascribed to. He, Mai, and his five soldiers had been travelling through the Si Wong Desert for over two days now, and still they had not reached the oasis.

Rubbing sweat from his eyes, Zuko unfurled the map and scanned the horizon,

"I don't understand," he said in disgust. "The map says we're right on top of the oasis, and yet it's not here."

"Give me that," Mai said, grabbing the map from Zuko. She, over the past few days, had grown tired of travelling as well and her patience was wearing thin.

"Look," she explained, stabbing the map with a finger and tracing a short line on the map, "We are here and we want to go there. If you'd listened to me hours ago we would be there by now."

Zuko sighed; he had wanted to give up trying to navigate through this thrice-damned desert hours ago but didn't want to admit that he was lost; now, however, he was willing to accept help in what form it came. Gesturing to Mai, he conceded,

"Whatever you think get us there fastest. I'm out of ideas."

Reining his mount in, he veered off to follow Mai, hoping they were finally headed in the right direction.

Fifteen minutes later, they were there.

He wasn't sure how they'd gotten there or even why, but he was thankful nonetheless when he plopped himself down on a stool by the bar and ordered the largest, coldest drink he could find.

A bit later, after he had adequately relaxed and his body temperature had begun to return to a semblance of its normal state, Zuko glanced around at the few other patrons at the bar.

Almost without fail, they were all staring at him.

Zuko frowned for a moment before glancing surreptitiously at the rest of his entourage. Despite being covered in dust and grime from their travels, he realized they were all still conspicuously wearing their fire nation uniforms. He, in particular, still had on the distinctive shoulder spikes that signified his royalty, while the fire nation's crest showed prominently on his guards' helmets.

Talking out of the side of his mouth to Mai, who was seated next to him, Zuko half-whispered, "You think we made an entrance?"

Mai merely snorted and rolled her eyes.

"Ummm, excuse me, sir," said a voice from behind Zuko.

Turning to face the speaker, who happened to be the rather dusty, grizzled bartender, Zuko cocked his head in response.

"I couldn't help but notice," he began, desperately trying to ask the obvious question without seeming impolite. "But are you…"

Before he could even finish his sentence, Mai cut him off,

"Yes, he is the Fire Lord, and yes I am his wife, and these are our men. Anything else you'd like to know?"

A quiet hush had fallen over the bar at Mai's usual bluntness. They obviously—and with good reason—had not expected any visits from royalty.

Zuko sighed, a slight smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he glanced over at his wife, "Did you have to just blurt it out to everyone?"

The corner of her mouth turned up at his question. It was a line of banter that had become familiar to the couple and a source of constant amusement.

"Well they were all thinking it," she continued wryly. "It's not like we blend in."

Rolling his eyes at his wife, Zuko turned back to the bartender, figuring he might as well ask now that he had his attention,

"Is there a place around here for us to spend the night?" Glancing over at his men and then down at himself and noticing the dirt once again, "We could all probably use the rest—and a bath."

A quick survey of the men at his bar confirmed Zuko's assertion. Motioning to the Fire Lord, the bartender leaned on the bar,

"Sure is," he explained amiably, "just go out the door and down the street. You should see it on your left. It's called the Sparkling Palm Inn…"

At this Zuko frowned, raising an eyebrow at the bartender.

The bartender gave a wry smile, "Only the spirits know why they chose to call it that. We haven't had anything green growing here in at least a hundred years—or so they tell me. Maybe they were nostalgic for the good old days or something."

Suddenly realizing who he was talking to, the bartender's face paled, holding up both hands he tried to apologize, "I meant no offense, of course. I mean your father was a cruel ma—well you see…"

Mai cut in before the flustered man could dig himself a deeper hole,

"Yeah, we get it. Zuko's dad wasn't exactly a pillar of integrity. Thanks for the drinks, and," she flipped him a coin, "the advice. We'll be going now."

"Oh course," the bartender managed, obviously relieved. "Thank you, and have a great day."

Mai merely rolled her eyes and led everyone out the door.

* * *

The Sparkling Palm Inn was not exactly a model establishment, but it was—or so the manager claimed—the best place in town. The master suite that the manager had so generously supplied contained a squeaky old bed with an equally noisy mattress, a desk, and two chairs. Small ridges of sand lined the edges of the room as if someone had hastily tried to sweep the room before their arrival. The five other soldiers had been split up between three other rooms down the hall.

By the time the group got settled it was late in the day, the sun reaching down, gently brushing the horizon. Zuko raised an eyebrow to his wife,

"You want to go get something to eat?"

Waving a hand in an all-encompassing motion, she answered, "In this hole?"

"Oh come on," he prodded, walking over to the door, "there's got to be some place to get something decent to eat."

"Have you seen where we're sleeping?" She retorted, still getting up to follow Zuko.

Zuko shook his head, and together they went out the door, down the steps, and into the streets.

After about twenty minutes of searching the relatively small oasis town, Zuko had to concede that there were very few places to eat besides the bar they had been at earlier. Taking a turn down a small side street, he and Mai began to pick their way back into the main portion of town.

Turning to say something to Zuko, Mai heard a faint scuffling coming from the rooftops behind her. She crouched, her training kicking in, pulling Zuko down with her, a shuriken appearing in her fingers.

Almost immediately after seeing their targets react, two masked figures dropped down from the rooftops, one in front of the pair, the other behind. Two more lurked above, arrows already knocked and aimed at the Fire Lord.

"Surrender and you wo—" The man didn't have time to finish his statement. One of Mai shurikens sprouted from his neck, his body tumbling off the roof and collapsing in a heap in front of one of the other men.

The others did not wait for him to land, attacking with a renewed purpose and vigor.

The two on the ground proved to be sand benders as they wove intricate waves of biting sand in the Zuko and Mai's direction. The remaining archer retreated from the edge of the building, popping up occasionally to fire arrows down at the pair.

Zuko recovered quickly from his initial shock, launching twin blasts of fire from his fists as he advanced on a sandbender. Mai, meanwhile, was doing her level best to cover Zuko's back all the while dodging the pillars of sand thrown at her. She could barely see through the storm, her eyes searching for movement, her feet for a purchase.

Trying to determine the location of the bender, she pressed forward, a wave of sand taking the skin off her nose as she barely got out of the way in time. Drawing two more knives, she threw them blindly down the alley, hoping for a lucky hit or to frighten her opponent.

A brief grunt followed her second knife and the sand fell for a moment.

In a fleeting moment of clarity, she noticed her opponent clutching his left arm, a feral gleam in his eyes. Stepping forward, he drew his uninjured arm in a circular motion, attempting to summon more sand from around Mai's feet.

She did not give him the chance. Dropping to knee, she flung her arm forward, two darts flying out. One embedded itself in his upper shoulder; the other found his throat, toppling him where he stood.

Mai muffled a curse—she did not want to kill unintentionally, but sometimes it was inevitable. Suddenly she felt Zuko crash into her from behind, an arrow embedding itself in the ground where she had been a moment before.

Seeing that Zuko had defeated his opponent and thwarted his desperate attack, the last man disappeared over the edge of the building in an attempt to escape.

As Zuko rolled off her, Mai leapt up and ran toward a pile of boxes along one side of the alley. Building her momentum, she took the boxes in stride, using them to gain height as with one final leap, she cleared the low roof.

Almost immediately she was forced to drop into a crouch as an arrow sped by her shoulder.

Hair whipping in the breeze, she spotted her assailant leaping across a small gap and onto another set of rooftops. She gave him no time to pause, her loose garments pressed tight against her body as she sprinted after him.

Leaping across the same gap, she saw her opponent drop to a knee, attempting to knock another arrow before she was upon him. Her long strides closed the distance quickly.

Slowing her movement with a forward roll, she used her momentum to come up under his guard, one hand slapped away the bow, the other pressed a knife to his jugular.

"Yield." It was not a question, but a statement.

Not waiting for an answer, he used her free hand to peel off his mask, revealing a young man, his face deeply tanned; an expression of defiance furled his brow.

"Never," he bit out, struggling against Mai's grip.

In response, Mai pressed the flat edge of the knife harder against man's neck, a thin trickle of blood forming under the blade. Mai continued pressing until the man's breath came in shallow gasps and a cough racked his body, a hint of fear entered his eyes.

"Yield," Mai repeated.

"I…I…cannot. Kill me now." His eyes widened, muscles tensed, waiting for the inevitable slash.

Mai merely sighed, "I won't kill you, but I can tell you what happens to those who assault the Fire Lord and his wife."

She began ticking off points on her fingers, "First, despite our best efforts, your name will probably get out, becoming synonymous with the lowest scum of the earth. Secondly, because of your inevitable popularity, we will be forced to give you a very public trial. Your name will now be known to every nation and the outrage will be palpable. Third, you will be tried and convicted for treason, which after a few months of corporate and political drabble; you will be finally hung for your crimes. Now, I will only ask you once more, yield."

The man had visibly paled throughout Mai's rhetoric, his will seemed to flicker. Not making eye contact with Mai, he whispered,

"I yield to you, Fire Lady."

Mai's eyes widened slightly in surprise at the use of her honorific, trying not to let her confusion show.

"Why me?" she asked, taken aback.

"Because you honored our nation with your service," the man bit out, some of his previous fire returning to his eyes, "It was you who served with Azula—you were her second-in-command. You served with the greatest warrior of our time."

Still slightly lost, and confused about the man's emphasis on Azula, Mai continued, "But what about Ozai?"

The man shook his head, "He was a leader, not a warrior. How many times did Azula face the avatar and come out unscathed? She killed the avatar. We would've have won the war if it wasn't for the intervention of the spirits."

Mai's frown deepened; this was not information a common soldier would have access to.

"Ozai," he continued, unfazed, "tried to do what Azula had already done—defeat the avatar—and could not. It was only right that she was to succeed him, not her pathetic brother."

She bit back a retort at his comment about Zuko and was about to press him further when Zuko finally arrived, slightly out of breath.

Putting a hand on her shoulder, he greeted her, "Hey, are you ok?"

Glancing at the man under Mai's knife, he scowled, "And who's he?"

She nodded an affirmative, "I was just questioning him, care to help me?"

Zuko cracked a small smile, seeing the situation the man was in, "No, I think you're doing just fine."

Mai snorted before turning back to her victim, "So, talk."

The man had stiffened when Zuko approached and when he remained standing behind Mai, he glared back at him. "I will not speak in the presence of that traitor," he bit out, bringing his head up a fraction to spit at Zuko's feet.

"Yes you will," Mai stated plainly, pushing his head back against the rooftop.

"No," the man repeated more forcefully, "I said I will yield to you, Fire Lady, not to _that_ man."

"Why?" Zuko asked, his brow furled in confusion, his hands clenching and unclenching as he tried to contain his frustration.

"Because you betrayed our nation. Our people. Our way of life. You don't deserve your title. There are other more qualified people, Fire _Lord_." He spat, pronouncing the last word as if it were a curse.

Abruptly, Zuko knelt next to the man's head, his face inches above his, "Like who?" he hissed, "my sister?"

The man's eyes flashed, a smile widening sickeningly on his previously defiant face, "Perhaps," he admitted, "or perhaps someone else. But," he cut off both of their questioning stares, "you won't be able to find him—at least not in time. And you won't get anything else from me—I've served my purpose."

With a quick motion, the man used his free hand to steady Mai's arm as he lifted his head up and twisted into Mai's knife blade, cutting a wide swath across his neck.

Mai cried out in surprise, removing her knife and pressing both hands against the gaping wound, futilely trying to stem the flow of blood.

"Zuko!" she cried.

The man slowly lowered his head back to the rooftop, a small sigh escaping his lips,

"Don't bother," he said, a thin film of blood forming on his lips, "I'm already gone."

"But why?" Mai asked, not taking her hands from his neck.

"Because if we had let you escape this town unharmed, we were as good as dead anyway," he explained, a single cough racked his body.

"Where is she!?" Zuko shouted, drawing the obvious conclusion. "Why is she doing this!?"

The man's eyes met Zuko's for a brief moment, alive with the knowledge of his defiance.

In an almost deliberate gesture, he turned away from the Fire Lord, his body convulsing once in pain before it lay still. His body, in its death, taunting Zuko as it expired slowly on the rooftop.

Helping Mai to her feet, a visibly shaken Zuko watched as she wiped some of the blood from her hands on her already ruined pants. And together, in silence, they strode from the rooftop, leaving the body where it lay.

* * *

"Has there been any improvement, sir?"

The middle-aged man with a kind face and a soft smile merely shook his head at Aang, "No, nothing has changed over the past few days. I've done all I can, the rest is up to him. His body will decide if he lives or dies now."

"Are you sure there's nothing more you can do?" Aang pressed.

Again the man offered a small smile of consolation before answering, "There's nothing more, I'm sorry to say. I wish I could do something—anything. He was lucky to escape without any broken bones, but concussions and other injuries to the head are often hard to treat. The best we can do is allow his body to rest."

Aang nodded. The news didn't offer him any consolation and his stomach still flip-flopped when he saw Sokka covered in a thin sheet on the bed, but he knew he needed to try and accept the facts of the situation for what they were—it was what Sokka would have done. It was what he needed to do now.

"However, I am worried about her," the healer said, nodding toward Sokka's room.

As Aang followed his gaze, he noticed Toph, slumped in one of the room's two chairs.

Her eyes were stained red from lack of sleep, her eyelids fell every few seconds but still she refused to close them.

Two day's worth of untouched food sat next to her, its smell slowly marinating the air. Her hair was disheveled and she obviously hadn't bathed either as dried tears stained her usually smooth cheeks.

"If she doesn't get some sleep, or some food soon," the healer continued, "she's going to end up in a bed just like him."

Aang agreed, "I'll try talking to her."

Walking quietly up to the doorway, he called,

"Hey Toph?"

"Hmmm?" was her only response.

"Can we talk for a moment?" he asked.

"We're talking now," she deadpanned.

Aang sighed, knowing this wasn't going to be easy.

"Look," he began again, "I understand you're worried about Sokka, but yo—"

"No!" she exclaimed, "you don't understand. You've been out running errands, doing other things while Sokka's been here."

Aang tried to interrupt her but she just talked over him,

"When Azula shot you with lightning, Katara almost never left your side. You had her and you didn't even know it. Who does Sokka have? Who is going to be here when he wakes up? Katara's not here now! We can't just leave him!" Toph finished, her voice cracking slightly as she finished.

Aang paused for a moment to take into consideration everything that Toph had just said before walking slowly over to her and sitting gently across from her on the edge of Sokka's bed.

"Toph," he began softly, "you know how much I care about Sokka. He's been like an older brother to me, but right now I'm almost as worried about you as I am about Sokka."

She lifted her head a bit, a look of confusion flashing across her unseeing eyes.

Pressing on, Aang said, "The healer tells me you haven't eaten or slept in two days. He says he is going to have to put you in one of these beds soon if you continue to act this way."

"Well I'm not leaving Sokka," she insisted.

"Ok," Aang conceded, "but will you eat some food if I bring you some?"

Somewhat mollified, Toph nodded.

"I'll go get that now, but I want you to take a few hours and go back to the room and get some sleep," Aang added.

Toph shook her head, "I'm not leaving. What if he wakes up while I'm gone? What kind of message would that send?"

"I promise to wait here while you're sleeping," Aang offered.

"It's not the same," Toph exclaimed, "What would you have thought if Katara wasn't there when you woke up? I'm his best friend. I need to be here."

Seeing that she wasn't going to be reasoned with, Aang offered another solution,

"Well what if I ask the healer if he would bring another bed in here? Then would at least try to sleep?"

Nodding slowly, Toph agreed, "If you do, I'll try to sleep, but I won't make any promises."

Cracking a slight smile, Aang knew that was the best was going to get from her.

Walking out the door to consult with the healer, he agreed to have a spare bed brought into the room.

When Aang came back a short half an hour later with a large plate of food for Toph, he smiled when he saw her lying on her bed, her body parallel to Sokka's, curled up and fast asleep.

Softly putting the plate down on a nearby table, Aang gathered up some of the old plates and tiptoed out of room, leaving one friend his prayers, the other to hopefully calm and restful dreams.

* * *

**Thanks for reading, I hope you liked it. Please review and let me know what you think regardless!**

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	15. A Familiar Face

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Hey, sorry about the slightly shorter chapter this time, I have finals right now and honestly getting this out was an accomplishment this week. Anyway, hope you've been having a great Christmas season, and that this is another intriguing chapter. Just a note: I have not forgotten about Toph's note, it will be addressed soon.

**Disclaimer.**

**Enjoy!**

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A Familiar Face

_Katara couldn't say that she'd been enjoying her predicament, but she was getting used to it. The general darkness of the underground cell and the monotony of the routine blended day and night into a single indeterminate stretch. Occasionally, Ana and she would talk, but more often than not, they simply respected each other's privacy, even after her support the last time Shong Ti had visited. _

_Other than their occasional conversations, only mealtimes and the periodic changes of the guard signaled any passage of time. Shong Ti had only visited their cell once more but it was only for a few minutes and he did not speak—instead he opted to simply stare into the cell, lost in his thoughts. Finally, after a brief moment, he seemed to collect himself and he left as quietly as he had come._

"_Katara?" Ana called, her voice cutting through the silence._

"_Yeah?" Katara responded, surprised that Ana had spoken, lately she had been even more introverted than usual and they had not talked much._

"_So how did you get to know the avatar?" The question was phrased tentatively, intentionally left open and vague in order to give Katara the option of politely to refusing to answer if she wished. _

"_Well," Katara began, not seeing any harm in relating some of her life to Ana, "I found Aang—that's the avatar—when my brother and I were out fishing about five years ago. Apparently he had frozen himself in an iceberg for the past hundred years and escaped the fire nation's detection. Regardless, when we released him he was far from what we expected." _

"_Wait," Ana interrupted, sounding surprised, "Are you saying the avatar is only seventeen right now?"_

"_Well actually he's a hundred and seventeen, but yes, his body is that of a seventeen year-old." She paused for a moment, smiling at some of her first memories of him. "Regardless, he managed to save our village from the Fire Nation when we were attacked by Zuko. Thankfully, he was able to sav—"_

"_Wait," Ana asked again, a sharp edge to her voice, "who did you say attacked you?"_

"_Prince Zuko, the Fire Lord's son," Katara repeated, unsure why his name would be of any importance, before she continued on. _

"_Anyway, after we all escaped, Aang agreed to take me and my brother to the North Pole so both him and me could learn waterbending._

_On our way to the North Pole we stopped at many different places—Omashu, the Northern and Southern Air Temples, and even Kyoshi Island before we reached the North Pole. I learned and saw so much; it was so much different than my own small village._

_When we finally got to the North Pole we were able to train for a short while from a master waterbender named Pakku before the Fire Nation attacked again. A particularly ruthless admiral named Zhao attempted to destroy the whole tribe—and would have succeeded—if Sokka and I hadn't managed to rescue Aang from Zuko, who had tried to capture him again, and if the ocean spirit hadn't interceded on our behalf."_

_This time, Ana didn't say anything but merely listened in silence to Katara's rendition._

_Taking this as a sign to continue, Katara started again,_

"_After we were attacked we decided it would be best to leave the water tribe, and, seeing as Aang needed an earthbending teacher, we tried to go back to Omashu. Unfortunately, the fire nation had already captured the city so we were forced to look elsewhere. Thank the spirits we were able to find one—a small blind girl named Toph who has turned out to be the strongest earthbender in the world."_

_Katara laughed lightly when she heard herself speak. Everything sounded so ludicrous when she when she explained it. It gave her a new perspective on their situations, something she was sure she had often taken for granted._

_She heard Ana rustle from her side of the cell,_

"_So what happened next?"_

"_After we found her, we decided to go to Ba Sing Se. It took us a while, but a couple detours later we managed to get there in enough time to fend off another fire nation attack. We also found out that a group of earthbenders called the Dai Li were secretly manipulating the Earth King. We tried to warn him but it was too late. Azula had already staged the coo and the city was lost." _

_Katara heard a sharp intake of breath come from the other corner of the room._

"_We would have captured her but Zuko, who I thought might have finally changed for the better, turned on us and Azula was able to kill Aang. Thankful—"_

"_Enough!" Ana yelled, her voice wavering slightly, breaking her previously cool, calm veneer. "I've heard enough. I'm sorry I ever asked you. My nation caused you so much trouble, I have cau..." She let her voice trail off, thought unfinished._

_Katara was originally taken aback by Ana's outburst and slightly surprised when she admitted she was from the fire nation. She didn't know what she could have said that would have caused such an outburst. To her, everything just seemed part of the journey, the path they all had taken to get where they were._

_But what startled Katara most was Ana's obviously emotional connection to what happened. She had originally assumed that Ana had asked simply out of idle curiosity to pass the time but now she wasn't sure. _

_Why Ana seemed so distressed Katara could only guess, but when she heard some angry mumbling coming from her side of the cell, she knew something more had to be wrong._

* * *

To say Aang was frustrated would have been an understatement. After his conversation with Toph he couldn't help but feel a cloud of depression, of futility, descend on him.

He was the avatar for Agni's sake, he shouldn't feel like this. When a problem needed solving people called on him for help, not the other way around. And yet, here he was on Kyoshi Island asking Suki to help him find his girlfriend.

The whole situation was absurd—the avatar being controlled by some man who thought himself good enough, cocky enough, to kidnap Katara and then expect him to follow his stupid little game of search and find. Who did he think he was?

Aang spent the next few minutes working himself into an anger he hadn't felt since his encounter with the sand benders over Appa in the Si Wong Desert, and then, rather abruptly, he rushed back to their rooms and grabbed the scale they had worked so hard to procure.

For a moment he just stared at it. Its translucent gold exterior gleamed faintly in the light, reflecting his image back to him, warped over its brightly-colored enamel. Spontaneously Aang smiled at his reflection and felt a strange satisfaction in watching his features warp even further. He did this once more until he finally made a decision—he was going to catch the messenger who came to collect the scale. No longer would he be controlled by this man; he was taking control of this situation.

He waited until two hours after dusk before setting the scale prominently outside on the porch. It shone in the faint moonlight, a clear beacon for whoever or whatever was coming to get it.

Aang, meanwhile, had airbended himself to the rooftops across the street so he could watch the whole area in relative seclusion. He assumed he could trick the mysterious messenger into revealing his or her identity by hiding out of sight.

The first few hours of waiting flew by as Aang was intently focused on basket and the scale within. His mind was sharp and he was ready. The next hour dragged slightly as his mind began to wander. He couldn't help but review their predicament and the kidnapper's thinly-veiled threat to hurt Katara if any of them tried to catch his messenger.

Aang banished this thought from his mind as his attention was suddenly drawn to the small clump of trees and bushes that bordered the town. He watched closely as the branches bent and the leaves rustled in a way that obviously was not the wind.

He edged over to the corner of the roof, now crouched, staff in hand. Then the rustling stopped, freezing Aang in his tracks. He glanced back at the scale and confirmed it was still there before turning his attention back to the trees.

For a moment he cursed being up so high on the roof because he couldn't feel any of the vibrations below. If he had been on the ground, he could have easily identified the location, if not the source, of the noise.

Regardless, he refused to ignore this opportunity and glued his eyes to the forest. He watched as the rustling continued, slowly making its way to the edge of the bushes.

Aang tensed, ready to leap down and attack at a moment's notice.

Then Aang saw what appeared to be a dark figure rise up out of the plants.

Not waiting for the figure to make another move, Aang leapt off the building, silently speeding toward the edge of the forest on his glider.

Swooping down from above, he landed a few feet from the figure, his staff poised to attack.

And found himself alone in a small clearing.

He whirled, checking on all sides, not wanting to believe that either he had been deceived or that his mind was playing tricks on him.

He searched the surrounding area as quickly as he could and still found nothing. Aang felt like screaming in frustration when he finally remembered the scale.

Rushing back to the basket Aang was horrified to see that the scale was gone and in its place was a note.

Hands trembling, Aang carefully unrolled the thin piece of paper. On it, in simple handwriting, was scrawled,

_Do not take me for a fool avatar. I am not to be taken lightly. Your actions, both the finding of the scale and your attempt to catch me, will be made known to him. Do not try to catch me again. You will be contacted if he sees fit._

There was no signature but Aang felt his heart drop when he reread the message—this was not the next message he had hoped for but rather a warning. He could only assume that the "him" the messenger meant was the kidnapper, and he couldn't overlook his warnings. If anything was to happen to Katara because of his actions he could never forgive himself.

Dejected, Aang placed the note inside his cloak next to the others and trudged back inside. He didn't know what he was going to tell Toph or Sokka—if he ever woke up.

* * *

"Remind me again why you dragged us here," Mai asked, bringing her mount up alongside Zuko's.

"Because," Zuko repeated, "if we're basing our search off places that may be familiar to Azula, this might be one of them."

Glancing around at ramshackle buildings of the old mining town, Mai couldn't help but frown.

"Why would she have ever been here before?" She asked, slightly confused.

Sighing, Zuko turned to his wife,

"It was back when Uncle Iroh and I were exiles and I was still chasing the avatar. Father had dispatched Azula to hunt both me and the avatar down. Well Azula apparently tracked the avatar here just as I found him. For the first time, Aang and I had a common enemy—I knew there was no chance of getting any mercy from Azula, so we both decided to attack her."

"Brave of you," Mai muttered.

Zuko, ignoring her comment, continued,

"Azula was able to knock me out of the fight for a brief moment before going off to fight Aang. In this brief interlude, Iroh found me." he paused for a moment, a hand on his brow, "To this day I cannot explain why Uncle came back for me after I treated him like that. I treated him like dirt but still he came for me."

Mai reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, stating simply, "Because he cared—Ozai never did."

Zuko nodded slowly, accepting Mai's comment for what is was before continuing,

"Eventually, Katara, Sokka, and Toph showed up and we cornered Azula." He stopped and shook his head for a moment, "she said she would surrender, something about a princess surrendering with honor. None of us were stupid enough to believe her but it made us pause, it made us a second too slow."

"What happened?" Mai asked, genuinely interested in the conclusion of this story, as she and Ty Lee, after all, had been fishing themselves out of the river about now.

"In that brief instant Azula attacked. She hit Uncle in the shoulder, knocking him down and injuring him badly. I—I lost it then. Katara offered to help, but I yelled at her." He paused for a moment, shaking his head once again, "I yelled at them all. All they wanted to do was help and I attacked them. It was one of my greatest regrets."

Mai squeezed his hand, silently sharing in the memory as best as she could.

_Clap, Clap, Clap._

The harsh, biting sound split the silence.

Zuko and Mai wheeled to their left, the soldiers quickly coming alongside.

"Touching, very touching," the voice was low and sultry, teasing Zuko with its familiarity. "And here I was afraid I would never see you again, that I wouldn't get a chance to repay you for your betrayal, ZuZu."

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**At least I got Katara in this time. =) Please review, I really enjoy hearing from you guys and seeing anything you think I should/could improve on.**

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	16. The Second Head of the Chimera

**Hey, sorry about the brief break from posting, I had a really busy last couple of weeks (coupled with a computer virus) that kept me from writing much. **

**Regardless, I hope you all had a Merry Christmas and that this next chapter makes up for some of that. =)**

**Disclaimer.**

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The Second Head of the Chimera

"Mmmmph," Sokka mumbled, trying to rub the sleep from his eyes.

Vision swimming in front of him, he tried to bring the room into focus but all he could make out were amorphous blurs and shapes. He could tell that he was lying on a bed, his head and shoulders propped up slightly. The two brown blobs in one corner he assumed were two chairs and there was a window on one wall letting in some soft light.

Slowly, arduously, he swung his head to the right, noticing what looked to be another bed and on it, curled up under the covers was what could only have been another person.

He rubbed his eyes again, trying in vain to cut through the haze that permeated not only his sight but also his mind. He didn't know how long he had been here, but a small part of him that seemed to think that it had been quite a while.

Blinking rapidly, he slowly began to make out some of the room's larger details and shapes. Looking again to the bed and its single inhabitant, Sokka noticed the hazy outlines of what looked to be a glass of water sitting on a bedside table.

The muscles in his shoulder groaned in protest as he tried to move his hand over to the small table—sharp pricks and needles all but danced up and down his arm. He managed to get half way there before he had to set his arm down because the pain was too great. He repeated the process twice more before he reached the edge of the bed.

Attempting to bridge the final gap, Sokka was able to get his arm to the bedside table and next to the glass, but when he tried to move his forearm forward and gently open his hand, he found himself to be too clumsy.

He was able to slowly fit his fingers around the exterior of the glass but when he tried to lift it, it kept slipping through his hands. Growing frustrated, Sokka finally was able to squeeze hard enough to lift the glass from the table—but only for a few seconds—before it slipped again, landing on edge, dumping its contents onto the bed.

Only then did Sokka realize he had totally forgotten about his mysterious roommate.

"Aaahh! What the hell!? Why am I wet!?" The oddly familiar voice exclaimed.

Sokka tried for a moment to put the pieces together. He could tell that the speaker was female and had long black hair. He also knew that her voice was very familiar but for whatever he couldn't place it. He wrestled with his feelings for a moment—it was so frustrating to have the name on the tip of his tongue but be unable to find it.

Finally regaining her senses, the form turned to him, and in a slightly lower, questioning voice asked,

"Sokka? Is that you? Are you finally awake?"

_Toph_. Hearing her call his name clicked everything into place.

"_Who else?"_ He said, or at least, he meant to say, but unfortunately for him, all that came out was an indecipherable noise.

Toph cocked her head at him, a slight smile played across a somewhat worried face.

"Sokka, are you alright? Should I get the healer?"

Again, all Sokka wanted to do was speak but once more his mouth moved slower than his brain, his tongue tripping over each syllable as if it were relearning how to do what it always known.

He wanted to laugh, to cry, to do anything to acknowledge her existence, but all he seemed capable of was mumbling gibberish.

He saw her cautiously kneel on her bed, stretching up to lay a hand on his, trying to tell if it were truly him.

He tried again, this time his words coming out a barely discernable, drawn out syllable,

"T...T…Toooppphhh."

This time Toph heard and understood him, and in a very un-Tophlike moment, threw her hands gently around his neck and hugged him tightly, her raven hair lightly brushing his face.

Sokka clumsily managed to set one arm across the small of her back and squeeze softly, and somehow, maybe it was her mussed hair or the pile of half eaten food that had been sitting next to the glass of now spilled water on the bedside table, Sokka knew she hadn't left his side throughout the whole ordeal.

Th...th…tthhaaaannnnnkkkk yyyoooo…uuu," he managed, the faculty of speech slowly returning to his beleaguered brain.

Toph cocked her head and smiled, not knowing quite how to respond. Sokka couldn't help smiling as well as she allowed the sarcastic playfulness that she always embodied to begin to return to her features.

"I'll go get the others," she said, reluctantly pulling away and beginning to slide off the bed.

Sokka's hand shot out with slightly more coordination then he had shown earlier, this time managing to grab her upper arm lightly,

"No," for once the monosyllabic word came out exactly as he intended it to.

Toph cocked her head once again at him, not totally understanding Sokka's train of thought.

Responding to the unasked question, Sokka spoke slowly, careful to enunciate every syllable, but despite his best efforts, his mouth still lagged behind his brain,

"No, people. Don't need more headache."

Toph chuckled,

"You mean you don't want Twinkletoes incessant chatter or Suki's questions? Yeah," she shook her head, "I don't blame you."

After a brief silence, Sokka spoke again,

"What happened?" he asked, pleased he was finally making some sense as he patted the bed in an attempt to ask her to stay.

Toph's small smile disappeared when Sokka asked the inevitable question. She had been hoping to avoid that question until everyone was here because a small part of her—whose existence she didn't want to acknowledge—didn't really want to relive the past few days.

Taking a deep breath, she attempted one last time to avoid explaining the situation,

"Are you sure? Do you really want to know right now?"

"Yes," came Sokka's almost immediate reply.

Toph sighed, resigning herself to the knowledge that at least he probably needed this as much as she did.

"Well," she began slowly, words tumbling out faster as everything seemed to fall into place, "I don't know too much because I wasn't there and—obviously—I couldn't see what happened, but I made Suki and Aang tell me everything they knew."

This last comment brought a slight smile to Sokka's face. He could just imagine Toph interrogating those two for every detail.

"Apparently when you were on the koi something happened. Aang said the fish essentially threw him from its mind and when he did, it went wild. The fish threw you right off its back like you weighed nothing more than a feather and Suki said you skipped across the water twice before you landed, unmoving, facedown.

Once Aang lost control of the fish, he was thrown off as well, but because of his bending, he was able to land safely. Because Suki saw where you fell, she jumped off the boat and swam to rescue you. She said when she got to you she thought you were dead." Toph paused for a moment, taking a breath before finally continuing on, "You were facedown in the water and when she turned you over you were barely breathing.

She called to Aang who quickly swam over and grabbed you. He said he thought be broke the world's waterbending speed record getting you to the healers.

I followed Aang as best I could to the healing house where they said they were not optimistic about your survival. The first challenge was getting your breathing back to normal so Aang helped, waterbending most of the water from your lungs. After that everyone got quiet for a moment," Toph stopped, maybe it was her pride, she didn't know for sure, but she was not going to cry—again—she did not want Sokka to have to see her weakness. She did not want to cause him any more hurt than he was already in, and selfishly, she did not want to have to relive the pain he had inadvertently put her through. Besides, she had a reputation to keep.

Composing herself, she continued,

"No one said anything for two minutes; the healers must have been working feverishly because the only noise I could hear was their hushed voices and the soft clinking of their instruments. They concluded that you had a severe concussion and that there was possible spinal damage—which, by the way—they recently decided you should be fine as long as you don't do anything stupid or strenuous for a little while."

She snorted, letting Sokka know what she thought the prospects of that were, "Regardless, they said you should thank the Spirits for the fact that you didn't have any broken bones. They also said you were lucky not to have any permanent brain damage, but I knew it was just because you had a thick skull."

"Hey," came Sokka's surprisingly coherent, but indignant, response.

"You know it's true," she shot back, glad to hear a little of the old Sokka returning.

"Anyway," she continued, "they said they were not going to try to wake you for fear of causing more stress and damage to your body. So they put you in here and here you've stayed. And that," she concluded, "pretty much brings you up to the present."

"Ho—" Sokka started.

"One more thing," Toph interrupted, "no one is sure how, but when Suki found you she said you had one of the koi scales clutched to your chest. Apparently you managed to hang on to that the whole time when you should have been hanging on to the fish." She shook her head jokingly.

Sokka rolled his eyes. Toph couldn't resist teasing him whenever she got the chance. Beginning the question he had tried to ask earlier, he spoke clearly for the first time since he had woken up,

"So how long was I out?"

"Almost a week," she deadpanned, "six days to be exact."

"Almost a week!" Sokka exclaimed, "But…but…what about Aang? And the note? And Katara?" He stammered, the weight of the realization pressing down on him. "We've got to get ready…we've spent too much time here…I haven't eaten in almost a week." The sudden revelation caused him to stop, "I haven't eaten in almost a week! I'm starving! Toph," he called, "do you have so—"

"Right here Snoozles," she laughed, handing him one of the plates that had been sitting on the small table.

Sokka seemed to take no notice of the food's suspect condition as he wolfed down some day old meat and half a loaf of stale bread. Pausing for a moment, he suddenly remembered Toph was still sitting on the bed next to him,

"Want some bread," he asked through a full mouth, holding a chunk out to his friend.

"Sure," Toph smiled as she happily took a bite from the proffered loaf.

Despite her knowledge of the food's condition she was more than happy to oblige—she herself hadn't eaten more than a bite or two of food while Sokka had been unconscious, and now that he was awake, her hunger was returning in full force.

"So," Sokka exclaimed, gingerly moving his still stiff legs over the side of the bed, "should we go see the others?"

"Sokka," Toph started, "I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"Why not," he questioned, "I feel just fiiiiii—"

Sokka's body swayed back and forth, his knees shaking, his vision swimming in front of him as blood rushed from his head. He suddenly wished he hadn't eaten so much food so quickly.

He took one unsteady step forward before his knees gave out. Managing to grab the nearby windowsill with one hand, Sokka was able to slow his descent slightly but still crashed rather gracelessly to the floor.

"Owwwww," Sokka whined.

Toph, who at first had been slightly worried about Sokka hurting himself again, burst into laughter when she heard him tumble to the floor.

"Don't make me say I told you so," she laughed.

Sokka rolled his eyes, curling up into a ball on the floor,

"You know," he mused, "I think I'm going to stay here for a while. This spot on the floor is very comfortable and I think my head needs some rest. It feels like I've had about five times more cactus juice than I should have."

Toph snorted, "Well I'm going to go get the others and tell them you're awake. I would think it would be a good idea to get yourself back into bed before they arrive—they would all probably flip out if they found you lying there on the floor."

"Aye aye captain," Sokka muttered.

Toph couldn't help but smile as she quietly left the room, closing the door behind her.

* * *

"Azula," Zuko said evenly despite his wife's quite gasp beside him—she had obviously not really been expecting to find her here.

As the Fire Lord watched his sister saunter out into the dusty street of the largely abandoned town, he couldn't help notice how her brief time of freedom had changed her.

She had obviously gotten rid of—or mostly likely burned—her prison uniform and had gone back to wearing a more traditional fire nation garb. She wore a loose fitting pair of black pants and a simple red shirt. Over the shirt, she wore a matching black vest with some understated gold piping along its edges. Her hair flowed over her shoulders, unkempt, as Iroh had mentioned, coming to rest slightly below her shoulder blades.

On anyone else, the outfit may have looked elegant, or perhaps even flattering on someone with Azula's figure. To anyone else, she would have looked like a perfectly normal, beautiful young lady.

This was not the person his Uncle had described—she was far more composed, far more ready to fight and face whatever challenges the day brought. Zuko did not know what had happened between the Jasmine Dragon and here, but he knew he could attribute at least some of it to the man Iroh had described.

But the madness was still in her piercing gold eyes.

They radiated a constant, barely controlled tension like a taut string waiting to snap. Each time she blinked, her eyes seemed to twitch; at one moment she appeared lost, in need of guidance, and the next she was a wary predator, cold and calculating. Whether her mind was actually stable—whether she was working toward the downfall of his rule or simply for her own gain, Zuko truly couldn't tell.

Regardless, she was still his sister, and beyond that, he still cared.

"What, no greeting ZuZu?" She taunted, "no how are you doing dear sister? It's so nice to see again after I locked you up in prison to rot."

She spat the final word with such a vengeance that it surprised Zuko. He knew his sister hadn't been happy with the arrangements he had made, but he had certainly made it livable. It wasn't like he could have simply set her free after everything that happened. If he had there might have been another war.

"Azula…" Zuko began.

"No!" she spat, "do not even begin to try and tell me you had my best interests at heart. I heard that mindless drabble from that stupid doctor all day long every day. I could not bear another second of it!"

Almost instantly, she calmed herself, her confidence returning after her brief loss of composure,

"But that is not why you're here, is it?" She smiled acidly, turning her ire to Mai, "Did you decide to come with ZuZu on this adventure so he wouldn't leave you again?"

Mai's jaw clenched, the only sign that Azula's comment had even registered.

"What?" Azula tried again, flinging another barb, "Wishing you were back home on your couch, eating a fruit tart?"

Mai's eyes gleamed in anger, a knife appearing in her hand.

Zuko knew he had to do something before the rapidly degrading situation got completely out of control.

"Why are you doing this?" Zuko exclaimed, raising his voice to try and gain Azula's attention.

Rising to the bait, she turned to face him,

"Do what?" She sneered, "I'm just trying to make a life for myself—a life without your help."

Zuko almost laughed at the irony,

"We know you hired those men to try and kill us back at the oasis. We know you broke into Iroh's tea shop. So let's stop playing this game."

"Oh, but I do love games," she teased coyly.

"Azula!" Zuko exclaimed, losing his patience as well.

Her previously playful attitude quickly turned to scorn,

"So maybe I did ask those men to wait for you, what about it? It's not like I ordered them to kill you…"

"What did you do, ask them instead?" Mai shot, getting tired of Azula's elusiveness.

"Something like that," Azula murmured, pretending to examine her nails.

"But why!?" Zuko asked again, "who was that man with you at the Jasmine Dragon?"

At the mention of the man, Azula's face darkened, her brow furrowing, contorting her already stern features into an even harsher mask,

"There was no man," she said, glaring at Zuko.

Zuko threw his hands up in frustration,

"Of course there was! Iroh said he was right there with you the whole time. Stop playing me for a fool Azula!" He paused for a moment to gather himself, before beginning again, "Look, you're still my sister, if you come with me now I'll make sure nothing happens to you."

"And do what?" Azula shot back, "Lock me up in a cell for the next fifty years? I don't think so."

And with that, she brought her fingers up to her mouth and whistled sharply,

"And here I thought you didn't like games," she smiled.

As she finished her last statement, the previously abandoned buildings came alive as men swarmed out of the doors and windows, slowly gathering in groups of twos and threes behind Azula.

The men's clothing was slightly ragged and diverse, a mixture of browns, greens, and reds. They each, however, wore a mask of anger and contempt upon seeing the Fire Lord and his wife.

Respectively, they took their battle stances. Some set their hands and feet for bending, while others drew swords or knocked bow strings. Without fail, each and every man was focused on Zuko's small group.

"Not quite what you expected?" Azula taunted.

"No," Zuko shook his head sadly, "it never is."

And with that, he leapt from his mount, placing himself between the two forces. His hands were held loosely by his side, ready for action but not overtly threatening.

Motioning with her hand, Azula signaled the other troops to give her space, forming a loose circle in the center of town. She brought her hands up in a loose, ready position—one she could both attack and defend from.

Zuko brought his hands up as well, steadying himself with a deep breath.

A quite hush fell over the troops, swords clinked quietly and clothing rustled in the wind—even the lizard-mounts seemed to know something was up and were silent as well.

Breaking the stillness, Zuko stated plainly,

"We don't have to do this."

Azula didn't respond, but her eyes flashed, and Zuko briefly wondered if she was running her last battle, their Agni Kai, through her head.

He wasn't given much time to ponder this, however, because wordlessly, and without warning, she attacked.

Her first attack came in high over Zuko's shoulder, the blue fire blasting by as if it were merely a test of his abilities. Her second attack, however, wasn't.

Two quick punches aimed at his midsection drove Zuko back as he was forced to block them.

She didn't give him time to recover and she pressed her brief advantage. Two more punches aimed at his shoulder and a kick thrown at his knees forced the Fire Lord to dive to his right, the fire from her blows dissipating harmlessly into the sand.

This time Zuko did not wait for Azula to attack again, and as his body was parallel to the ground, he retaliated, throwing a stream of fire back at Azula.

She rolled to the side, hatred gleaming in her golden eyes, as the orange blast roiled past her head.

By the time she regained her footing, Zuko was already on his feet, charging her head on. His fists were out in front of him, small spokes of flame like short daggers, protruding from them.

Azula didn't have time to shoot back at Zuko but instead brought her hands up as well.

Zuko attacked, his arms slicing down at her shoulders and arms, trying to subdue her rather than do any permanent damage.

She defended herself, one elbow coming up to block Zuko's right hand, her left slipping up and batting his wrist away.

Zuko tried to bring his right arm back into play but doubled over as Azula's knee found his gut, her leg following through and tossing him to the ground.

She dashed forward, one hand raised, doused in blue flame.

The Fire Lord, however, would have none of it and he whipped his legs around, creating an inferno around his body as he swung himself to his feet—breathing heavily.

"And here I thought the Fire Lord would be the best the fire nation had to offer," Azula taunted between her own breaths as their duel stilled for the moment.

"I'm still better than you," was Zuko's only response.

Azula's tight smile vanished, her hands moving in slow, concentric circles as she separated the energies from the air. The air crackled, and sparks flew, tossing her hair up in a mad dance as she brought them back together and released her ill-constrained power.

Unlike in the Agni Kai from four years ago, this bolt of lightning was intended for him—and he was ready, hand outstretched to guide its energy.

The moment the tip of the lightning touched his fingertip, the sensation was literally electrifying. Every hair on body seemed to stand on end, the blood in his veins seemed to race. He followed the energy down, letting it pass briefly through his stomach before gathering it and directing it out his other arm.

His aim was straight and true, the bolt's power returning to its owner, and in a brilliant flash the electricity connected with Azula's shoulder, spinning her around and leaving her in a heap.

For a moment, no one moved.

Tentatively, Zuko took a step toward his fallen sister, the stench of scorched flesh reaching his nostrils. Her body convulsed once, muscles twitching involuntarily, drawing a ragged gasp from Azula's lips.

Bending over his sister, Zuko attempted to roll her over to check on her condition, and surprisingly, none of the other soldiers tried to stop him.

Just as Zuko had managed to get Azula onto her side, he noticed something large and dark rise up from the top of one of the buildings behind him. He tried to turn to face this new threat, but he wasn't fast enough.

Almost simultaneously, he felt something strike the back of his helmet, lifting him up and throwing him bodily onto the dirt beside his sister.

The last thing he remembered before darkness took him was Mai's voice shouting orders as the whole situation dissolved into chaos.

* * *

**Hope you all liked it! If you want to give me a late Christmas present, just click the review button (I'm pretty easy to please lol)**

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	17. Toph's Letter

**Hey so sorry again about the delay but I just got my computer back--virus free for once. So hopefully I'll be able to update more regularly. Also, because of the wait I decided to actually tell you what was on Toph's letter this chapter as opposed to making you wait another week. (so hope you enjoy it but the next chapter might be a little shorter as a result)**

**Also, I'm tired of putting the disclaimer up so consider all of the chapters from here on disclaimed.**

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Toph's Letter

"_Fools," Shong Ti muttered as he stalked off down the tunnel in search of Katara's cell._

_He could have accepted such actions from Yeh-Lu and even expected as much from Azula but the avatar—no, he did not expect his defiance. Yeh-Lu and Azula rightly should have been dead and Shong Ti had half a mind to kill them both anyway, if he thought he could still keep on schedule without them. Time was beginning to grow short and the slow chill of worry was beginning to seep into his gut._

_He had been very pleased when his messenger approached him with the koi scale but that fleeting pleasure quickly turned to anger when he had learned of the avatar's attempt to capture his servant._

_It was understandable, he supposed, that the he would have made some attempt to learn of the young waterbender's whereabouts sooner or later, but Shong Ti did not have time to deal with that right now. He had bigger things to worry about—his master was growing restless and that was not good for his continued well-being._

_Therefore, Shong Ti decided he needed to send a message, a clear signal that he was not one to be trifled with, and that he would not tolerate such blatant disregard for the basic rules he had set forth._

_Storming into Katara and Ana's cell, not even bothering to acknowledge the guards on either side of the door, he watched with satisfaction as a startled Ana and Katara stumbled to their feet, obviously taken aback by his entrance._

"_You," Shong Ti ordered, pointing one of the guards toward Ana, "if she moves, kill her."_

_The guard shot Shong Ti a predatory grin, slowly drawing a knife and placing it against the woman's neck. He watched her closely, as if he was simply waiting for an excuse to use the blade._

"_Come here," Shong Ti motioned to Katara, "now!"_

_Katara hesitantly got up and came within a couple steps of her captor, not wanting to do anything to cause Ana to be hurt but also trying to stay as far from Shong Ti as possible. His very presence repulsed her._

"_Give me your hand," he commanded._

_Katara did as she was told, warily extending her arm out in front of her._

_In a quick motion, Shong Ti grabbed her hand in a vice like grip, squeezing her thumb to her palm and all of her fingers together._

_Katara winced in pain but did not cry out._

_Then Shong Ti drew the knife._

_Instantly, Katara reacted, jerking her hand violently in an attempt to free it from his much tighter, stronger grasp._

"_Stop it!" Shong Ti thundered. "The more you struggle the more this is going to hurt. If you would just be still this will all be over soon." _

"_No!" Katara exclaimed, still struggling against her captor._

"_Don't," Ana called to Shong Ti despite the blade against her throat. "If you want something, take it from me, not the girl."_

"_Quiet," Shong Ti snapped. "Another word out of you and you may permanently lose the ability to speak."_

_Ana shut up, but her eyes shone defiance as they seemed to curse his very existence._

"_Now," he said, turning back to Katara, "are we going to do this the hard way or the easy way?"_

_Katara shuddered but stopped struggling—she knew she was trapped. She desperately wanted to attack, but knew she couldn't for Ana's sake. Even if her arms were free, she wasn't even sure if she'd be able to bend. There was almost no moisture anywhere, and the pitifully small amount present in the air wouldn't be enough to do anything. _

_Katara, in her desperation, even allowed her thoughts to drift toward Hama and the horrid art she had taught her. Unfortunately for her, her cell was underground and without being able to draw strength from the moon, she wasn't sure how strong her bloodbending would be._

"_Very good," Shong Ti praised dryly, and in one quick motion he brought the knife down._

_And opened a small cut on the tip of her middle finger._

_Quickly, he pulled a piece of paper from his tunic and pressed Katara's still bloody finger to it, allowing it to smear as he withdrew._

_Looking at his work, he nodded, satisfied that it would send the message he intended, and dropped Katara's hand._

"_Thank you girls," he added as he walked from the cell, "you've both been very helpful. Very helpful indeed."_

* * *

"Sokka!" Aang and Suki almost instantaneously exclaimed as they burst into the room.

"You're awake!" Aang smiled.

"How do you feel?" Suki asked. "Does it hurt?"

The noise—the bombardment of questions and sympathy—were simply too much for Sokka.

He placed his hands over his ears and put his head in his lap until the noise finally subsided. When he looked up, Suki and Aang were looking at him, both appearing slightly concerned.

A thin smile broached his face,

"I'm doing alright," he began, "and most things don't hurt." He grimaced, leaning forward a bit and rubbing his lower back from where it had hit the ground a bit earlier. "Toph tells me I've been out of it for a while though."

"No kidding," Aang snorted. "When Suki pulled you out of the bay we thought you were dead. I think I waterbended a gallon of water out of you before you even started breathing, and after that we took you here where you've been ever since."

Sokka glanced around the room, slowly taking in everyone's faces, their outward expressions and thoughts. His eyes wandered down the line, noting Suki's caring smile, Aang's slightly travel-weary but relieved eyes, and Toph's quiet smirk. He shook his head, what would he do without them? They had each taken his injury in a different way because they cared and each of them held a special place in his heart.

Turning back to Aang, a sudden thought hit him,

"Wait!" he groaned, "what about the scale? Do we have to try and get another one?"

This time it was Suki's turn to shake her head,

"You held on to it the whole time. I don't know how but when I got to you, you were still clutching the scale to your chest. Apparently you managed to pry it loose before being thrown off."

A wry chuckle escaped his lips,

"Well I think that's the best news I've heard all week." Turning to Aang, his brow furled in thought, "but then did you get another message? Did you give them the scale?"

A shadow passed across Aang's face, his eyes dropping and features contorting themselves in distress.

"Well," he began slowly. "I put the scale out…"

"And?" Sokka asked, wondering why Aang had let his sentence trail off.

"And I tried to catch the messenger," he mumbled.

"You did what!" This time it was both Toph and Sokka's turn to be surprised.

"I tried to cat—" he began again.

"No I heard you the first time! Damn it!" He exclaimed, "I'm guessing 'tried' is the operative word in that sentence."

Aang nodded glumly.

"Why did you do it?" Toph asked in the ensuing silence.

"I thought I could catch him," Aang started slowly. "I thought we could make him tell us where Katara is. Unfortunately," he shook his head, "I didn't and I haven't heard from the kidnappers. All that was left was this."

He pulled a crumpled message from his inside his robe and handed it to Sokka.

Sokka's eyes scanned it quickly, already guessing its contents.

"Spirits Aang!" He exclaimed, tossing the message aside in disgust. "Do you know what you've done?! What if he decides he doesn't need Katara anymore? What if he—"

"Don't even say it!" Aang snapped. "I am aware of what could happen. I am aware of the consequences. What do you think I've been thinking about while you've been in here? I don't know what to do, but I'm tired of waiting."

He gestured around the room in frustration, "I'm the avatar, this kind of thing shouldn't be happening to me. I defeated Fire Lord Ozai, helped bring balance and peace to our world, and I can't even catch a simple messenger! This is ridiculous." He threw his hands in the air, spinning around in helpless irritation.

"Perhaps," Suki's voice quietly broke through everyone's private thoughts, "it is because you do not know who you truly fight." She paused for a moment as everyone turned their attention to her before continuing, "Perhaps this is an enemy unlike any you have ever fought. We have a saying among the Warriors that goes like this: when your enemy seems to be ahead of you at every turn, then it is time to question who it is you truly fight."

Aang thought for a moment, letting the silence draw for a full minute before nodding and putting a hand on Suki's shoulder,

"Perhaps it is," he acknowledged, "but until then, all we can do is wait."

And with that he turned and left the room, his mind obviously elsewhere.

Suki gave Sokka a quick smile and came over to give him a brief hug,

"I'm glad you're feeling better, you had me worried there for a while. Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

Sokka smiled warmly and returned the gesture, his eyes following her as she left the room as well.

Leaning back against the pillows, his mind lost in thought, he did not notice Toph slowly approaching his bed, a letter held tightly in her hands.

* * *

"Zuko…Zuko, can you hear me?"

"Mmmmmph," he muttered slowly opening his eyes to see Mai kneeling over him. Her face was smeared with dirt and a line of dried blood stained her neck. To Zuko's foggy, slightly confused mind, she couldn't have looked more beautiful.

"Owww," he exclaimed. "Why does my head hurt so much?"

"You're welcome," Mai snorted, coming over and giving him a light hug, "but don't ever scare me like that again."

Zuko smiled wearily. He knew she was just teasing but there was no mistaking the seriousness of her voice—she had been genuinely worried that he wasn't going to make it.

"So what happened?" Zuko asked, slowly getting his bearings and realizing that Mai had dragged him into one of the abandoned buildings nearby. "One moment I was fighting Azula, the next I was on the ground next to her."

"Well remember that stupid helmet I told you to wear," she began.

"You never told me to wear it!" He protested.

"Whatever," she deadpanned, "it saved your life, just like I did."

"And I'm glad you did," he smirked up at her.

A grin played at the corner of her mouth before she was able to contain it,

"Anyway, the helmet you were wearing saved your life, because Azula—being the treacherous good-for-nothing sister she is—had a backup plan. And that plan involved an archer, an arrow, and the back of your head."

"An arrow," Zuko frowned, reaching up and wincing as he lightly brushed a large bulge just above his hairline on the nape of his neck, "did this?"

Mai nodded, "He was a pretty good shot too. A professional," she bit out, "unlike the others."

Zuko took a brief moment to examine her more closely,

"How about you?" He asked, "are you ok? You look like you're a mess."

Mai sighed wearily, finally slumping down against the wall next to her husband, content for the moment that he was not going to die on her.

"I'm fine," she said finally, "but the soldiers and I must have killed at least a dozen of them before they retreated."

"And Azula?" Zuko hesitated to ask.

"Gone too," Mai muttered, "she was their first priority. They dragged her away almost immediately after you fell. I'm sure her new master is off cleaning her up too. She'll be back before we know it—she was never one to let an injury bother her for long."

"So she's not dead?" Zuko nodded, "That's good."

His last comment earned him a sharp glance from Mai.

"What?" He asked, "you want me to hope that my sister's dead? I won't do that, Mai."

"I'd kind of hoped you would change your mind after she tried to kill you again," she pressed. "What's it at now? Five times? Six?"

"I honestly stopped counting after Ba Sing Se," he admitted. "But I still don't want to kill my own sister."

Mai snorted, willing to let the topic drop for now, but acknowledging the fact that she was not as forgiving as Zuko. She admired his willingness to forgive, a trait he had most likely gotten from Iroh, but if she and Azula ever fought, she would not hesitate to do whatever it took. She wasn't admitting that she wanted Azula dead, but she wouldn't just stand around idly while that mad-woman tried to destroy everything Zuko had worked so hard to achieve. The life of one was not necessarily worth the lives of many.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't hear Zuko try to get up until he slumped back against the wall.

"Help me up, please," he requested, "we should probably get going. Azula can't be far off."

Mai chuckled, "You're not going anywhere until we get something for your head." She shook her head at Zuko's silent protest, "The rudimentary first aid I learned is not going to be good enough if you're to fully recover. I talked to one of the men and he says there's a small village not too far from here. That's where we're going."

Zuko wanted to protest but knew it wouldn't get him anywhere. Silently, he extended an arm to Mai who helped him up, and with one arm over her shoulder, they slowly walked outside to gather their mounts and their men.

And now, as the lizard-mounts stirred up the desert behind them, Zuko couldn't help but think that he had begun this journey to answer a question but the longer they took, the more questions they seemed to gain and the more answers they seemed to lack.

* * *

Toph was angry with herself; she didn't know why the mystery of this letter was bothering her so much, but it was. After all, her parents were probably just checking up on her, right? But no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't seem to convince herself that it was truly something that trivial.

The last six days had been fraught with worry and she hadn't had time to ask Aang or anyone else to read her the letter—but truth be told, she preferred it be Sokka. But now that his health seemed to have turned the corner, it was the most logical time to ask, and yet she was still reluctant.

If only she could convince her stomach of that as well.

"Hey Toph," Sokka's voice came from over on the bed.

"Hey," she mumbled quietly, before adding in a rush, "will you do something for me?"

"Sure Toph," he responded almost immediately, "just te—"

"Just let me finish," she interrupted, holding up a hand. "Hawky br—"

"Hawky!" Sokka exclaimed, "he's here?"

"Sokka!" Toph growled, getting irritated with her friend. "Will you please just listen to me?"

She waited until she heard him grumble an apology, and chose to overlook the fact that she caught him mumble something about being bitter that Hawky had come to her and not him.

"Anyway," she continued, "he brought me a letter from my parents on the day you were out fishing, and I would really appreciate it if you would read it for me."

"Of course," Sokka readily agreed, "why didn't you ask me sooner?"

Toph rolled her blind eyes, wondering how he could be so smart and so dumb all at the same time. Reluctantly, she handed over the letter, silently asking the Spirits for everything to be alright.

She heard the scroll rustle as Sokka unrolled it and waited for him to finish reading it. It seemed like he had barely read the first line when she heard a quite gasp escape his lips.

"Sokka…?" She asked, letting her sentence trail off unanswered.

She heard him take a deep breath.

"Toph," he heard him call, "you want to take a seat on the bed here."

She heard him pull his feet up pat the mattress beside him.

Hesitantly she did as he asked; pushing herself up and allowing her feet to dangle off the edge, a few inches off the floor.

"Toph…" he started before stopping once again. She heard him pause and the bed rustle as he ran his hand back through his hair.

"Toph, it's from your parents," he finally managed.

"I know that," she retorted, trying to put up a brave front despite the growing sense of dread in the pit of her stomach. "What I want to know is what it says."

"Well, I'm not sure how to say this…"

"Then just say it, you idiot."

"It's your dad," Sokka said slowly. "He's…he's dying."

And for once in her life, Toph Bei Fong had nothing to say.

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**See? I knew you'd appreciate some answers, and besides it kind of leads them into the next major part of the story. Anyway, please please review, I'd love to hear from any of you that read. it's also my birthday tomorrow... =)**

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	18. Interlude: Plans

**Hey guys, this chapter is as it says, a short interlude in the character's plans. Anyway, thanks to all of you that reviewed last time, the 8 I got were more than I had previously received for one chapter and I really appreciated it. Hope this chapter answers some of your questions and helps pick up where the last one ended b.c I know some of you thought I ended the last chapter rather abruptly.**

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Interlude: Plans

"_The days grow short, Shong Ti. How are the preparations coming?"_

_As he bent over the glass-like pool of water, Shong Ti tried not to grimace. He would have preferred to have had this discussion when he had something better to report._

"_They," he paused, "are coming, master."_

_The ensuing silence was answer enough._

"_I have just received the scale you asked for, but the avatar is growing bolder. My messenger reported that he was almost seen when he was picking up the scale—the avatar had taken it upon himself to try and catch him."_

"_Interesting…," the voice trailed off slowly, pondering this new development, "but not unexpected. Did you truly expect the avatar to remain idle? Did you not plan for this contingency?"_

"_My lord," Shong Ti murmured, "I have taken immediate steps to rectify the situation; there is no need for alarm."_

_The voice seemed to chuckle darkly at this response, "I hope so—for your sake."_

_A curt nod from Shong Ti earned him another question._

"_And what of the Fire Nation princess? Has she been the asset you assured me she would be?"_

"_She," he paused, searching for the right words, "has been difficult. She has accomplished some of what we spoke of, but her volatility has led to certain complications."_

"_I tire of this game Shong Ti," the voice growled irritably. "I do not want to have to ask so many questions simply to obtain a straight answer."_

_Shong Ti cringed, bowing slightly in acknowledgement, "Of course, master. What I meant to imply was that she has rallied the support of some dissidents, but she has not been discrete about it. My spies report that her actions have attracted the attention of the current Fire Lord—a stubborn fool who seems to have a knack for showing up at the wrong place at the wrong time. And, as a result, she has gotten into trouble. Were it not for my foresight, she would currently be in the hands of her brother."_

"_See to it that your foresight does not cause any more setbacks." The voice intoned forebodingly, "The timetable cannot be moved back."_

"_I understand, my lord." Shong Ti nodded._

"_Good. See to it that everything continues on schedule. You will be properly rewarded when the time comes."_

_At the prospect of a reward, Shong Ti twisted his features into a feral grin,_

"_Everything will be ready for your arrival. We are almost there."_

"_Yes, we are."_

_And with that, the pool's surface stilled, gradually reverting to its original state._

* * *

Aang's step had finally regained some of its usual bounce, the pent up energy that he always seemed to have barely contained surfacing after a long reprieve. Sokka's progress and his slightly surprising acceptance of his mistake had taken a large burden off his heart. The last thing he had wanted to do was add to the group's troubles and, despite his best efforts, that was what he had managed to do.

But, as he approached their rooms, he felt his stomach collapse in on itself because there, stabbed plainly into the railing of his balcony was a distinctive dagger, a note skewered through its center.

Approaching the dagger carefully, twin tendrils of caution and suspicion seemed to wrap themselves around his stomach. Aang couldn't help but glance furtively around, looking to see if it was him who was being watched this time.

Hoping—assuming—that he was alone; Aang pried the dagger from the railing and carefully slipped the message from the blade. Unrolling it, he tentatively read the message,

_Dear Avatar Aang,_

_Quite simply, I must say that I'm disappointed in you. Your actions are troubling and I will not stand for such a blatant disregard for my basic rules. I do not ask for anything except your obedience, and what do I get? Disrespect—and that is something I will not tolerate._

_Therefore go with all haste to the Eastern Air Temple and find the silver-lipped tigerseye—a plant that only grows on the cloud shrouded peaks around the temple._

_Because of your success in retrieving the scale, I have decided to spare Katara any permanent damage for now, but do not expect such leniency in the future. You will be contacted again when you have the plant._

The bottom of the note was unsigned as usual; however this time, a bloody fingerprint that could have only been Katara's, underlined the last sentence.

Aang's face clouded in anger at the sight. He knew there was nothing he could do at the moment, and he could not help the guilt he felt, but when—not if—he caught this man, he prayed that the Spirits would help him exercise a restraint that he did not think he would have.

Deciding the next best course of action was go tell Sokka and see if it was possible for him to be ready to leave by tomorrow morning, Aang headed back toward the small healing hut from which he had only recently departed.

He hurriedly rushed into the room, energized with a renewed sense of purpose, not pausing to look up before he had begun talking.

"Sokka, lo—" He cut his exclamation short when glanced up to see Toph sitting on the edge of the bed and Sokka holding a note very similar to his.

What stopped him wasn't the strangeness of the situation but the looks on their faces.

Sokka's expression was more easily discernable—a mixture of regret and shock that Aang had rarely seen. Toph's, however, was much more difficult. She appeared, for once, at a loss for words, as if someone or something had come up and stolen away the young woman Aang had grown to know so well.

She appeared, for lack of a better word, breakable, and that was what caused Aang the most concern.

"Sokka….Toph….what's going on?" He asked slowly.

He heard Toph stifle what could have only been a sniffle before watching as Sokka laid a hand on her shoulder, and at a small nod from her, opened his mouth to speak.

"While I was unconscious Hawky brought Toph a letter from her parents. It's brief and to the point: her dad…he's dying." He paused in his brief summary, eyes downcast, obviously sharing some of Toph's pain, "We need to take her home now."

There was no mistaking the firmness behind his soft tone.

"I agree," Aang said, slowly holding a breath and exhaling it slowly before adding, "but we just got another letter from Katara's kidnapper. We need to go to the Eastern Air Temple as fast as we can. There's some plant there that he wants."

Sokka snorted at the thought before resting his gaze once again on Aang's,

"And what of Katara?"

Aang paused briefly, "She's ok for now as far as I can tell. I want to believe that he wouldn't hurt her, but especially in light of everything that has gone on, I truly don't know." Bravely, he took a step forward and showed Sokka the bottom of the note, "But he did leave us this."

Aang cringed as he saw Sokka's hand tighten around the note, smashing its middle into a barely discernable thread of what it had been. The veins in forearm stood out as he slowly released the piece of paper, silently handing it back to Aang.

"Then you'll have to go to the air temple by yourself," he stated much more calmly than he looked.

"Huh?" This time both Toph and Aang voiced their confusion.

"Sokka, it's ok," Toph pleaded, "Katara's still alive; she still has a chance. I'm sure my parents would understand."

"No it's not," Sokka responded, a tad more forcefully than he would have liked, "your father is not dead yet. He can survive. You need to get home and I will take you. Aang can handle the trip to the Eastern Air Temple on his glider. We'll take Appa to Gaoling immediately."

Aang surprised himself by simply nodding, trusting Sokka's judgment in this situation,

"It'll be a long trip but I can do it. I'll come back to Gaoling when I'm done, that way you guys don't have to worry about meeting up with me anywhere."

Sokka gave Aang a sad smile,

"Alright, it's settled then. Now let's all get packed, we've got a lot of travelling to do."

Sliding his feet out from under the thin sheet that draped his body, Sokka tested his legs tentatively. When he thought he felt confident enough to stand on his own, he slowly stood up. Almost immediately, he felt his left leg give slightly under his weight. Aang, seeing him begin to fall, quickly stepped over, slipping under Sokka's arm and bringing him back up carefully.

"You alright?" The concerned avatar asked, "are you sure you should be traveling like this?"

Sokka merely scowled, frustrated at his own ineptitude, before taking his weight off Aang and stumbling a few feet toward the doorway.

After he had taken half a dozen steps, his body seemed to remember what walking was and he straightened his previously hunched posture, rubbing his lower back.

"Come on, Toph," Sokka called gently, "let's get going."

Toph nodded as well, and together the three of them prepared for the different, and yet equally important, journeys they had ahead of them.

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**Thanks for reading, hoped you liked it. Please review!**

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	19. Remembering the Past

**Hey guys, here's the new stuff I've written. Thanks again to those of you that reviewed last chapter. Hope you're all some place warmer than I am right now, because it's freezing at school. Anyway, enjoy!**

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Remembering the Past

Zuko stared blearily off into the distance, his canteen bobbing up and down in front of him like an unruly child. He had run out of water about an hour ago and his parched throat was already complaining, his battered body slumped, seeming to wilt in the hot desert sun.

Pausing for a moment, he allowed Mai's lizard-mount to come up alongside him. This time—thankfully—she was holding the map.

"We're almost there," she explained, pointing to some dot on the map that Zuko couldn't see. "Just a few more minutes and we should be able to see the village."

Zuko nodded, not trusting any noise to come from of his parched throat.

Seeing his struggles, Mai reached to her own pack and handed Zuko her canteen,

"Here, drink this. I don't need any more right now."

Zuko, too thirsty to protest that Mai's health was more important than his, gratefully took the canteen and greedily drained it of its contents. Wiping his mouth with his sleeve, he handed the canteen back to Mai and reined in his mount to follow behind her.

Over another ubiquitous dune and down another, Zuko was beginning to think that they were never going to make it, when finally, as they mounted another peak, he was able to see the land begin to level out and some of the sand begin to mold itself into more familiar, hard packed dirt.

Five minutes later they were there—at least, Zuko thought, wherever there was.

As the troops approached the farms on the outskirts of the small town, Zuko couldn't help but wonder idly if there was something familiar about this place. They passed a small pen of noisy pig-sheep whose incessant cacophony of oinks and bleats seemed to warn the village of their arrival.

The group continued riding for another few minutes until they came to the local inn, the words "Welcome to Plains Village" crudely painted on the chipped wood beside the door.

Tying their mounts to a post, Zuko and Mai preceded the men inside.

Like the last town, they did nothing to conceal their presence or their true identities, and this time, surprisingly, most people did not seem to care.

Stepping through the small door into the ramshackle inn, Zuko tried not to cringe at the small puffs of dust and sand that rose with each of his footfalls. If this part of the inn was in such disrepair, he wondered, what would the rooms look like? He glanced over and noticed Mai frowning down at her feet as well, most likely thinking along the same lines.

Deciding to ignore the state of establishment for the time being, Zuko ran his hand along the sand-scoured edges of the counter, before ringing the partially rusted bell twice.

Almost immediately a sun-hardened, slightly bent husband and his wife stumbled into the inn. He wore a look of tired determination that Zuko guessed probably came from a life hard labor. His wife's face, however, was etched with a pained anxiety that seemed to contrast sharply with the smile on her face. It was almost as if her previously happy, peaceful life had been completely turned upside-down by some foreign, unforeseen force.

Without even turning to the look at his guests, the man began digging around behind the counter.

"Name's Gansu, I run this place." He began, "I know it's not much but it keeps food on the table." Finally looking up with a frown of irritation when Zuko hadn't spoken up, he asked bluntly, "So how many rooms do you want? I don't have all day."

"Three please," Mai answered in an effort to be polite.

"Yeah sure, whatever. That'll be fifty gold pieces a night in total. Please pay up front," the man muttered, laying three keys on the counter while grabbing the small sack of coins Zuko had put on the counter.

He had just begun counting them when his wife tugged sharply at his sleeve.

He looked over at her questioningly, surprised that she had so much as shown any interest in the guests. She, however, didn't answer his unasked question, her face pallid in shock, before she managed to whisper,

"It's him."

"Who?" her husband asked, clearly taken aback by her reaction.

"Him," she repeated as if the use of a simple pronoun would explain everything, as she pointed emphatically to Zuko.

Still perplexed, he allowed his eyes to follow his wife's finger until they came to rest on Zuko's face.

His face, almost instantly, came to match his wife's.

"But…you…you're…you're the Fire Lord," he stuttered.

"Yeah, yeah," Mai cut in, tired of the shock and awe routine they sometimes got in these small villages, "we know. Thank you for noticing. Now can we please go to our rooms?"

Finally finding her voice, the wife cut in,

"We never thought we'd see you again after what you did," her face fell for a moment at the memory, "and after what we did."

Suddenly it was Zuko's turn to feel uncomfortable as he felt Mai's inquisitive glare turn to him,

"You know these people?" she asked incredulously.

"Well no," Zuko scratched his neck absently, "I wouldn't say that, at least not exactly."

Mai arched an eyebrow skeptically at him,

Sighing, Zuko launched into a brief explanation,

"After I split up with Uncle—for the first time—I came here, not for any great reason, just to take some time to collect my thoughts."

Now it was Zuko's turn to scowl as Mai muffled a snort,

"Anyway," he continued, "these people were nice enough to give me some food and a place to stay in return for a little work on their farm. They had a very inquisitive son named Lee, who," Zuko paused, smiling at the memory, "if I remember correctly, always seemed to be getting into trouble. Regardless, there was a group of earth kingdom thugs who were taking advantage of these people and," Zuko stopped for a moment, taking the time to choose his words carefully, "I taught them a lesson."

"They took our son," the wife explained, "and he was kind enough to fight them off—even when they forced him to reveal his identity as a firebender to win. And then," she paused, glancing down at the floor before meeting the Fire Lord's eyes, "after all he did, I told him to get out, that I didn't want to see him or his kind ever again."

Mai cast an appraising glance at her husband, and after seeing him nod an affirmative, turned back to the husband and wife,

"Well I'm glad he was able to help," Mai tried to smile, despite her tiredness, "but we're exhausted and would like to get some rest. So if you don't mind, we'd like to head to our rooms…"

"Actually…," the woman trailed off, "we were wondering if you'd be willing to help us again."

"Yeah, yeah," Mai cut in, the lack of sleep getting to her, "get someone else to feed your animals or harvest your crops, we've got bigger things to deal with—like Fire Nation dissidents."

"No you don't understand, our son's been kidnapped!" Gansu exclaimed.

"He's been what?" Zuko asked as Mai turned and stared as well.

"He was taken from our village along with the other children a couple days ago. We don't know who took them," he continued, "or why, but nobody has been able to find them. We've sent out groups of villagers to search but the tracks disappeared a little ways outside of our farm. A couple of them didn't even come back."

"Wha—" Zuko started.

"We think the men who took our children were from the Fire Nation," the wife blurted.

This statement stopped both Zuko and Mai in their tracks and they both stared at the two innkeepers.

"How do you know?!" He demanded.

"Well," Gansu began, "we don't know for sure but we had sent Lee back to the farm to get some things that we needed here at the inn but he never returned. When we went to look for him, we found our house had been ransacked and there were burn marks everywhere."

"Burn marks don't prove much," Mai cut in, "anyone can start a fire."

Gansu shook his head slowly, "Not these marks. These were intentional, concentrated blasts, nothing as irregular or wild as an accidental fire." Before Mai could protest further, he hastened to add, "In addition, we found this discarded in one corner."

Reaching to his waist, he pulled a small, intricately carved dagger from its sheath and handed it to the Fire Lord.

Taking the dagger in his hand, Zuko ran his fingers over the engraved hilt, turning it over twice in his hands.

"This was mine," he murmured, "at least it was until I gave it to Lee, but," he glanced up, a look of confusion creasing his brow, "I thought he didn't want it. I figured it was lost."

"Well," the wife cut in, "he didn't want it—at least not originally—but after you left I thought about what you had done and realized that it was I who was wrong. I went back and picked up the knife, hoping to use your actions as an example for Lee, and eventually give it back to him."

"What my wife is trying to say," Gansu interrupted, "is that Lee has carried the dagger with him for the last three years since she gave it back to him, there is no way he would have just left it lying around. He would have had to be forcibly separated from it."

"And you want us to track down your son?" Mai blurted.

The woman smiled a bit sheepishly, before answering, "Please? You're our only hope and we don't know what we would do without him."

"A moment please," Zuko said, holding up a hand to forestall any further protest as he turned to his wife.

"What do you think?" he asked frankly.

Mai thought for a moment before answering,

"You know Azula could be anywhere right now and going to find these kids could only throw us further off her trail."

Zuko nodded, "I know, but I feel like we can't simply abandon these people. And," he added, "if Fire Nation soldiers were actually responsible, we need to make an effort to find these children. Who knows, it might even have been Azula."

Mai rolled her eyes, "The Fire Nation is responsible for lots of things that it would rather not be and we can't fix every problem ourselves. But," she deadpanned, "if you want to help these people then let's do it now before we lose more time—and don't worry, I'll be there to pull you out of whatever trouble you manage to get yourself into."

Zuko snorted, before turning back to the couple,

"After talking to my wife, we'll help you, but we cannot make any promises."

"Oh thank you so much!" the wife exclaimed, "we cannot thank you enough! You have no idea wha—"

"Yeah, yeah, we get it," Mai muttered, "now could you please show us your house so we can look around and get started. It's not like we have all day."

"Of course, of course" the husband soothed, "please, follow me."

Sighing because she knew she wouldn't be getting any rest until they had at least visited the house, Mai fell in line behind her husband as they left the inn and began to slowly pick their way through the village.

* * *

Sokka sighed as he leaned back against Appa's soft fur. In almost any other circumstances the wind whipping through his hair, Toph sitting next to him, and Appa soaring against a completely blue sky would have served to relax him, but today he was having no such luck.

The silence that enveloped the two friends seemed oppressive, it seemed to trap his thoughts within him rather than set them free, because no matter what he did, no matter how hard he tried, all he could think about was Toph's letter.

Life had never been fair but one of its lowest blows was the taking of a family member or loved one. Sokka had known this pain for as long as he could remember, it had always been a part of him, a constant companion throughout his travels.

Despite the fact that he really couldn't truly remember what his mother looked like, every time he saw a young child playing with their mother, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret and sadness. And now, as he looked down at Toph's unmoving face and watched the breeze ruffle her hair, he knew he would do anything to keep her from experiencing what he had.

He would have let the silence continue for a while longer but abruptly Toph looked up, her pale eyes finding his for the briefest of moments,

"Hey Sokka?" she asked.

Glancing down, a slight smile played at his lips, "Hmmm?"

"Can I ask you something?" Her voice seemed tentative, a bit lilting, as she spoke.

"Of course," Sokka smiled, glad for a diversion from his introspection.

Expecting a question about his mother or how he dealt with life without her, he was completely unprepared for what Toph said next.

"What ever happened between you and Suki? You two always seemed to do everything together you—you were inseparable for a time."

"Well…" Sokka began, unsure of how to start, "you sure you want to know, I mean it's a really not a very exciting story."

"Fine," Toph murmured, "if you don't want to tell me you don't have to, but I'm just tired of sitting here in silence—it's driving me crazy."

"No it's alright," Sokka explained, "I'll tell you. I mean, I've got nothing to hide."

Sokka scowled slightly at Toph's quiet snort, but continued on regardless,

"You're right; Suki and I were inseparable for a time, especially after Zuko and I rescued her from the Boiling Rock. You have to understand my feelings—Suki was practically the first girl my age that I had ever met, and to learn that she still liked me when we met at Full Moon Bay after the months that we were apart, well, that really made me do some thinking. Her commitment, her willingness to like me for who I was—faults and all—well, it didn't make it hard for me to like her back.

After the war," Sokka paused for a moment, searching for the exact words, "I thought everything was going to be great, and don't get me wrong, it was great for a time, but slowly we began to realize that we were more different than we had originally thought. The stresses of the war hadn't caused an artificial relationship, what we had had was very real indeed, but it did change our priorities, and we both slowly began to realize that. The sixth months we spent together after the war were fun, we travelled a bit as war heroes before going back to Kyoshi, but I think we both realized before then that we weren't meant for each other.

She wanted to settle down on Kyoshi and continue to train the warriors; she was ready to really begin her life, but I," he paused for a moment, chuckling at the thought, "I wasn't ready for that. I still wanted to see the world, goof around, get thrown out of bars, and just enjoy the freedom of a peaceful world. You know," he turned to Toph, "do the stuff you and I do.

A short while later when we parted ways, and it was probably for the best—it was nothing big or dramatic, we just talked for a while and realized that we had both changed. Life was different and so were we. We still talk now and then, and I still value her friendship and her input. She's saved my life a couple times now—and yours too," he added, a small chuckle escaping him, "if I remember correctly."

"That was just because you were too slow you big oaf," Toph shot back, hitting Sokka in the arm to hide some of her embarrassment, and the slight blush that seemed to creep up her face.

"Yeah, sure. Whatever you say," Sokka snorted. "Now," he said, teasing her slightly, "tell me about your love life. How have you been? Found anyone yet?"

"Right Snoozles, like I'm going to tell you that," She laughed, giving him another hard punch.

Sokka smiled, expecting such a reaction from Toph, but secretly wishing she would be a little more open. And, he couldn't help but notice her shoulders slump a little when he mentioned the possibility of her and love. He wanted to ask her about it but he noticed that she had already turned away and now appeared lost in thought as her sightless eyes gazed out on the horizon. He resolved to ask her about it later, maybe when things were going a little better.

But now, as he glanced down over Toph's shoulder at her now quiet figure, he couldn't help but think about the attributes he had seen in Suki, the things he thought he had seen her, and how they applied to Toph. She certainly wasn't the overtly kind person Suki was; she displayed her kindness in her own way. And, Sokka had to admit, Toph and he did share more laughs—though they were usually at his own expense—than he ever did with Suki.

Recently, Sokka had even begun to notice Toph's figure, discreetly of course, when she was going through some of her earthbending forms.

But, all in all, he wasn't sure what to make of his feelings. He had known her for so long and they had done so much together, these relatively new revelations confused him.

Sighing as he grabbed the reins and gently began to direct Appa toward a new point on the horizon, he shook his head, suddenly finding himself with as much to think about as Toph.

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**Hmmm....so what'd you think? =) Anyways, hope you liked it, please review!**

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	20. The Third Head of the Chimera

**Hey all, hope you had a good week! Thanks again to those of you that reviewed last chapter. Here's the next chapter...=)**

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**The Third Head of the Chimera**

_Ack_, Aang coughed, trying to dislodge yet another bug that had somehow found its way to back of his throat. Wincing as he swallowed, Aang allowed himself a moment to think about how he had gotten himself in such a predicament.

He had left Sokka and Toph over two days ago on his glider so he could go to the Eastern Air Temple while the two of them went to Gaoling on Appa, even though he would have rather taken the sky-bison himself. Travelling on Appa was so much easier—and there were no bugs to deal with either.

Now, as he soared through the clouds, riding updrafts and other currents toward his destination, he couldn't help but worry about both his small circle of friends and himself. He knew it was a tad selfish, but after his failure to capture the mysterious messenger, he was beginning to doubt himself. It wasn't so much that he was unsure of his powers as the avatar, but more his decision making process.

He was supposed to be leading by his example, not by his mistakes. It was as if he understood his powers but he was still learning everything that went along with his responsibilities. All the time he had spent up to and including his defeat of the Fire Lord had mainly been spent training for battle, there hadn't been time to work through the more difficult moral and ethical ramifications of his "gift", and his mistakes ate at him.

Lost in thought, he was surprised to notice the sun beginning to dip toward the horizon, its last rays caressing the peaks of the mountain range in the distance. Scanning the trees below him, he looked for a place to land to spend the night.

Finally deciding on a small clearing ahead, Aang gratefully allowed his glider to dip through the tree tops, but just as he was about to land, his instincts kicked in.

In a seemingly inexplicable action, he banked his glider hard to left, barely eluding the flaming arrow that had suddenly appeared in the space his glider had previously occupied.

As he whirled his glider once again, he saw the forest below come alive with movement, the flickering tips of at least thirty or more arrows sprouting from the darkness. They came at him like an angry hoard, nipping at his heels and burning his back.

Wheeling back toward the forest below, Aang airbended the arrows away with a quick flick of his wrist. He didn't know who these people were or what they wanted, but for once he could go back to the early days. There were no innocent people to worry about, no political ramifications, no moral qualms about fighting, there was just one simple course of action, and Aang took to it with a practiced ease.

Spotting the nearest archer, Aang flipped his glider into a staff, swinging it quickly to dislodge the enemy with a strong gust of air. He allowed himself to fall below the tree line before reverting his staff to its glider form as he leveled out a few feet above the ground.

He dodged one tree, then another before he spotted the next archer on a nearby limb. Twirling his staff once, he landed on the same branch. He ducked under the one arrow shot in his direction before throwing two fireballs in toward his enemy.

The archer was more nimble than Aang had expected, and he watched in surprise as he rolled out from under his firebending attack, all the while drawing a sword from his back. Countering with a blast of air, Aang managed to slow the archer's advance before using his staff as a brace to kick a blast of fire in his direction. The blast caught his foe in the chest, knocking him off the branch where he landed with a crunch in a heap far below.

Taking a brief moment to gather his bearings, Aang noticed the small clearing he had seen from the air ahead. Jumping down lightly, he proceeded carefully to the edge before peering out between the trees.

"Come out avatar," a voice called from above. "We know you are there."

Complying slowly and stepping out into the dwindling light, Aang brandished his staff before replying,

"Come out where I can see you," he ordered.

This time the voice didn't say anything, but a figure stepped from the shadows of an overhanging branch and into view. The fading sunlight barely illuminated the red war paint that slashed its way across his face, combining itself with a hideous scar that drew itself from left eyebrow to right lip, giving the man the appearance of a constant sneer. In his right hand, from ground to shoulder, stretched a carved bone longbow, red horizontal striping, that Aang assumed was a tally of kills from previous battles, lined it from tip to tail.

Directly behind the man, stepped another archer, one Aang had not noticed before. This one had the same face paint as the leader but his face was unmarred. Surprisingly it was him who spoke rather than the other,

"Avatar Aang," he stated simply, "you are surrounded."

Almost immediately, as if on cue, the trees around the clearing came to life as men stepped onto branches and out from behind bushes. They each wore the same stern, unspeaking mask of their leader as they brandished their own bows and weapons against the avatar.

Aang glanced around before raising an eyebrow ironically at the spokesman,

"Surely you don't think twenty five or thirty archers can stop me," he asked, for once opting for a more confident approach now that the opportunity for a peaceful solution seemed slim.

"We'll see," the spokesman said before raising his own bow and firing a shot down at Aang.

Aang didn't even grace this feeble attempt with a dodge but merely shifted his stance and brought a pillar of earth up directly in front of the projectile, stopping it in midflight.

Unfortunately for the avatar, the rest of the archers didn't wait to see if the shot landed, but each knocked their own bow and fired.

Dropping to a knee, Aang swirled his hands above his head, drawing water from the laden air, compressing it into a tight circle before expanding it outward into shards of ice, catching the each arrow in midflight before it reached him.

Drawing the ice back into water, Aang used it to whip the bows out of the hands of two of the archers before using the rest to freeze another two to their respective trees.

Ducking under three more arrows, Aang airbended himself into the branches above and began working his way around, clearing the trees of enemies. Just when he thought he had dispatched of the last of them, he came to leader who, surprisingly, hadn't moved from his branch the entire fight.

Seeing the avatar in front him didn't even startle the archer, instead he merely stepped toward Aang, placing one hand on his chest, beckoning him to follow before jumping nimbly down from the branches and into the clearing below.

"Avatar Aang," he spoke in a low baritone that resonated surprisingly well throughout the clearing, "now that we've dispensed with formalities such as this fool," he motioned down at his fallen spokesman, "let us settle this ourselves."

"Well…I mean…," Aang trailed off, uncertain of how take this new development. "Look," he tried again, "we don't have to do this, and you know how it's going to end."

Taking a moment to pause and look back up at the avatar, the man contorted his mouth into a smug grin, "yes, I think I do know how this is going to end, but please," he swept his hand to encompass the whole clearing, "please do try."

Aang, his adrenaline still pumping from the battle, was trying desperately to keep his anger in check and failing rapidly,

"Who are you and what do you want?" He snapped, jumping down warily from the branch and taking a stance across from his opponent.

The man shook his head, "only one question now, avatar. There will be more when we finish—if," he added, "you're still standing."

Aang rolled his eyes in annoyance before allowing him to continue.

"My name," he began, "is Colonel Shu Wong Kwo, leader of the Yu Yan archers, and you, Avatar Aang, are a problem that needs to be eradicated."

Not waiting for a response, the Colonel drew his ivory bow and began firing flaming arrow after flaming arrow at Aang with unerring accuracy. Unlike in the previous battle, each arrow seemed to guess Aang's next move, forcing him to earthbend boulders to intercept every projectile rather than simply stand still.

He managed to get by most of them when one grazed his upper arm, leaving a thin strip of blood and torn skin on the previously unmarred flesh. Hissing in pain, Aang resisted the urge to check his now bloodied arm as he abandoned his previously defensive strategy.

Flipping over another arrow, Aang quickly drew a sphere of water from the air, freezing it into an ice lance and launching it at Colonel Kwo. Seeing it come, Kwo's eyes didn't widen in surprise like Aang expected, but instead he threw down his bow and drew his hands together. Taking a deep breath, he quickly spread his hands, releasing a wave of fire outward from his body.

As the water evaporated into a cloud of steam, Colonel Kwo had the satisfaction of watching Aang's eyes, not his, widen in surprise.

"Like it, avatar?" He chuckled, "Admiral Zhao taught me himself."

Aang grunted unintelligibly, opting to test the Colonel's abilities first before advancing. Almost methodically, deliberately, Aang fired boulder after boulder at his opponent, forcing him to use his firebending defensively, never giving him the opportunity to catch his breath and counter attack.

Aang watched with growing satisfaction as Colonel Kwo became increasingly frustrated at his inability to counter the avatar. Finally, in a display of emotion that would have made Admiral Zhao cringe, he let his pent up energy explode, roaring in frustration, engulfing himself and the immediate area in flame as he let the wave of fire expand outward.

Throwing an arm up to shield his eyes as he whipped the air to allow the fire to pass over him, Aang turned back just in time to see the Colonel draw a pair of curved swords from his back, using them to funnel his firebending as he charged the avatar once again, a feral look of animalistic desire in his eyes.

Sidestepping another burst of flame, Aang countered with some of his own firebending, peppering the ground at his attacker's feet, knocking him off-balance and slowing his advance.

As Colonel Kwo stumbled to avoid the avatar's latest assault, Aang saw his opportunity. Sliding his foot forward, he incased first Kwo's right foot, then his left, in stone, letting him flail backwards as he landed heavily on his palms. Another quick movement immobilized his wrists and sent the swords flying.

Approaching his fallen opponent warily, Aang noticed beads of sweat dripping down his attacker's face as a bit a steam beginning to seep out from under the earthen handcuffs.

Recognizing what the Colonel was attempting to do, Aang quickly reinforced his bindings before speaking,

"I wouldn't do that if I were you," he said simply, "you'll only succeed in causing yourself great pain."

The Yu Yan archer merely grunted in response and redoubled his efforts, his face turning a bright crimson to match his face paint. His breathing grew shallower and shallower as his body tried to cope with the self-inflicted pain as he tried to melt away Aang's earthen restraints, the vein in his forehead pulsing with each effort.

But, just when Aang was beginning to worry that he might have to intervene to keep him from permanently hurting himself, the man slumped back against the ground, his shoulders sagging and legs going limp, his body exhausted by the effort.

"So what now?" he bit out, the energy and fire remaining in his eyes in stark contrast to the beaten condition of his body.

Aang paused for a moment, pacing in consternation in front of his captive; he didn't want to hurt him, and he needed information, but he wasn't sure how he was going to go about getting it. He needed to find out more about who was behind this deranged plot that seemed to not only involve controlling him but also seemed to have influences in the Fire Nation.

"Now you tell me why you insisted on attacking me," Aang countered, deciding on a course of action and allowing some firmness to enter his voice.

"Why?" Colonel Kwo laughed, "I did it because I could—because I wanted to."

"Because why?" Aang demanded.

"Ever think that it was simply because I didn't like you?" He shot back, his eyes flashing in defiance.

"No," Aang said evenly, "I'm pretty sure you don't like me. I'm just wondering why you went to all this trouble," he motioned to the many fallen archers around him, "simply to stop me. You, frankly, just don't strike me as smart enough."

Aang watched with silent satisfaction as the Colonel became increasingly incensed. This form of questioning—the quiet, subversive, and certainly non-lethal form—seemed to suit his conscience. He had learned, mainly from listening to Toph pester Sokka, what the best ways were to get under someone's skin and to get them speaking before their mind catches up with their mouth.

"I mean," he continued, seemingly oblivious to his enemy's silent rage, "you had to have a spokesman speak for you. What kind of message does that send?"

"You don't even know what you're talking about avatar," he finally spat.

"Oh really?" Aang turned, "enlighten me then."

"This is so much bigger than you and you don't even know it," he began to chuckle, his livid scar contorting his face into a sinister mask rather than one of mirth. He smiled up at Aang, enjoying his confusion, before slowly shaking his head,

"It's about power, avatar—it always is. It's something you have but don't understand. You see, power is like a drug, and once you've tasted even the slightest amount, you cannot help but be inexorably drawn to it. Whether it is someone or something, you can feel it when you step into its presence."

"But wh—," Aang tried to interrupt.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about!" Colonel Kwo exclaimed, speaking over Aang's question. "I can feel it on you just like I could on him." He paused for a moment, one side of his mouth quirking in a display of amusement as he pondered his newfound revelation, "But you…you are stronger. He has underestimated you."

"Who!?" Aang almost yelled in frustration.

"He called himself the Seeker, but his messenger was the one who contacted me about my services—I only met him once," he said plainly, "but even if I did know his true name, I wouldn't tell you."

Dropping to a knee, Aang placed his face inches from the Colonel's, his gaze meet his unflinchingly,

"Where is he, and what has he done with Kat—_ahhhhh_!" He cried, jerking backwards as he grabbed at his wounded arm in an effort to stop the suddenly unbearable pain.

Lifting his hand slowly, he noticed bloody puss now oozing from the wound and slowly dripping down his arm. He hissed again in pain, feeling his arm throb as his adrenaline began to fade; he felt each pulse, each beat as it resonated down his arm and through his wrist.

"Do you know the reason the Yu Yan Archers dip their arrows in poison, avatar?" Colonel Kwo asked, trying—and failing—to feign nonchalance, "because it gives us power. Power over people like you" He uttered the last word softly, his voice dropping with each word as he emphasized every syllable until he trailed off again into silence.

Aang winced again, knowing that he didn't have much time and that he couldn't remain with the archer any longer. Not responding to his taunts or jeers, Aang took the small bit of knowledge he had gained, and grabbed his glider.

Taking off with a silent whoosh of air, he struggled to stay aloft, straining to put as much distance between himself and the Colonel before he couldn't travel any farther.

After about fifteen minutes of pained flying, just as his vision was beginning to swim in front of him, he saw another small clearing between the trees, with what could only have been a hut nestled snugly at one end.

Landing rather heavily, Aang stumbled, using his glider to keep himself from falling on his face. Slowly, arduously, he made his way to the small wooden doorway, climbing the first step and then the next. Just as he reached the doorway, the pounding in his ears and blood rushing to his head became too much, and he pitched forward, landing in a heap on the doorstep.

And, just as his world began to fade to black, his brain registered what he thought was a dark figure standing over him, but before he could make any movement or sound he felt his eyes roll back into his skull and a curtain of darkness fell over him.

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**Hope you liked it....Please tell what you think though and review. Oh, and just a note, there might not be an update on this story next week because I might be doing some stuff for Tokka week which starts February 8th. So, we'll see but keep a look out for that too. Well, I'm off to watch the Super Bowl now, Go Cardinals!**


	21. Crossroads

**Hey, so before you throw anything (please?) I wanted to say sorry for taking so long to get this updated. Tokka week was a lot of fun but came at a rough time, so this month has been super-busy. It's a personal pet peeve of mine when people update so sporadically that the flow of the story gets interrupted, so I hope this won't happen again. Anyways, thanks again for those of you that reviewed last chapter (and read my Tokka week stuff)...**

**And now on with the story... =)**

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Crossroads

"_Ana…Ana…pssst…Ana, wake up!" Katara whispered into the gloom._

_Peering into the gloom, Katara could barely make out Ana's still, sleeping form against the opposite wall of their cell. Holding her breath, she waited, hoping she could rouse her cellmate without alerting the guards._

_Just when she thought she was going to have to risk making more noise, she heard Ana begin to stir from the small ball in which she slept._

"_Hmmm?" She mumbled groggily, before slowly coming to and realizing that it probably was the middle of the night. "Katara," she hissed, "what are you doing? We're supposed to be asleep right now!" Opening her eyes briefly, she glared across the small, bare room, "And, as much as I do love talking with you, I feel like we'll have plenty of time to do that in the morning. Now please, I'm going back to sleep."_

"_Shhhh," Katara said, trying to calm her agitated cellmate as she glanced warily toward their door where the guards were supposedly stationed. "I just wanted to talk to you about something."_

"_Can't we do that in a few hours?" Ana shot back, irritated at Katara's persistence._

"_No," Katara responded quickly, "we can't. It needs to be now."_

"_Ok," Ana sighed, knowing that she couldn't avoid this conversation any longer, as she sat up and leaned back against the wall, "I know what you're going to suggest, so go ahead, tell me your idea."_

"_What!?" Katara asked indignantly, surprised that Ana didn't even seem the least bit interested in hearing her plan, "you don't want to try and escape?"_

"_No," Ana said, tipping her head back to stare up at the ceiling, "I don't, because frankly, it's pointless. You can't escape from this place—it's like labyrinth. And besides," she said, sweeping her hand in a gesture of futility, "what do you think he'll do if he catches you?"_

"_Well then we won't get caught," Katara shot back, a bit perplexed over Ana's reluctance. She figured that she'd be more than willing to comply—especially after all the time she had spent in here._

_Leaning forward, she stared out at Ana, hoping to get some kind of indication, some kind of support from her. As she did, she thought back to the weeks—or maybe it had been months—since she had been taken, and with each passing moment she kept getting angrier. She was tired of sitting here as the bait! She didn't want to be a helpless prisoner anymore!_

_Her eyes sparkled in dim light as she pushed thoughts of Shong Ti and their last meeting out of her mind. She wouldn't be intimidated any longer._

_Turning back to her impassive cellmate, who had now closed her eyes and resumed trying to sleep, she again endeavored to convince her to at least be open to a plan._

"_Ana…" she began again, "we can do this; we need to try."_

"_Katara…" Ana started, eyes still closed._

"_I'm tired of being the bait! I'm tired of being treated like this! I'm going to escape—but I want to do it with you!" Katara exclaimed, before quickly dropping her voice to a whisper, "you deserve your freedom. You deserve an opportunity to have a life—at least more of one than you have now. Will you at least listen to my plan? Please?"_

_Ana paused for a moment, running a hand through her hair._

"_You know Shong Ti is going to kill us if we get caught?" She mumbled._

"_No he won't," Katara protested, "he needs us."_

"_No," Ana corrected, "he only needs you. He doesn't need me."_

"_We'll be fine," Katara repeated, her own voice sounding a bit hollow in her ears, "now let me tell you what we're going to do…"_

"_As if I had any choice in the first place," Ana muttered, willing to let Katara talk for the moment, but reluctant to do much more._

* * *

"Zuko, we've been riding for over an hour now," Mai complained from the back of her lizard-mount, "don't you think we should try going a different direction?"

Reining in his mount, Zuko signaled his men to halt and allowed Mai to come up alongside him. Sighing, he turned to his wife,

"I don't know Mai," he answered, "the tracks led this way and Gansu said he thought there was a ravine or maybe even some caves in this direction; I think we should at least check them out. They can't be too much further."

Mai grunted and rolled her eyes, "Well if we don't find them in another half an hour, I'm turning around. No offense to the innkeepers, but one kid isn't worth wasting a whole week to find—we have things we need to do. Besides, we don't even know if he's still alive."

"Agreed," Zuko nodded reluctantly, "but there's a good chance Azula and her men fled this way. Who knows, it could have been her."

"In what?" Mai spat, "another deranged attempt to try and capture you?"

"I wouldn't put it past her," Zuko muttered.

Hearing Mai snort at the irony, Zuko rolled his eyes and began to lead the way once again over the dunes.

After about ten more minutes of riding, Zuko suddenly heard one of his men call out from behind him,

"Sir!" he exclaimed, "I think I've found something."

Spinning his mount around, Zuko hastened over to see this new discovery, hoping for some good news. What he found, however, was far from that.

As he approached, he noticed the man's lizard-mount curiously nosing the ground and pawing at the sand in an apparent attempt to uncover something lodged below. And, as his mount got closer to the same area, he could see its tongue flicker rapidly and feel its muscles tense, almost quivering in barely contained excitement.

Pulling back on the reins sharply, Zuko hopped off, handing the reins of his mount to one of the other men, before signaling for them all to back off from the area.

Approaching cautiously, Zuko knelt down in the sand next to the spot his man's mount had been scratching at. Slowly, he began brushing the sand away, allowing the coarse grains to slip through his fingers until his hand encountered something below.

Pushing further into the sand, Zuko grasped at what he had felt; the coarse fibers of what assumed had to be a tunic or some kind of shirt, resisting his pull to the surface, standing firm in its desire to stay unseen.

Not willing to accept defeat, Zuko plunged his other hand into the sand as well, grasping the cloth tightly and heaving against its weight. This time, the object obliged, moving slightly towards the surface.

Carefully brushing more and more sand away from the area, Zuko pulled again and this time was met with success as slowly but surely, the object came to the surface.

Only then did he realize what it was that he had found and why the lizard-mounts had been attracted to it.

Because there, lying in the sand in front of him, was the upper torso of what could have only been one of the missing villagers that Gansu had mentioned.

The dead man's eyes were glazed over, a milky white substance much like that which covered Toph's eyes dulling the clarity they had had in life. The skin on one side of his face had been replaced by many sand scoured furrows, his previously tanned skin dyed almost red in his death. Apparently whoever had killed him hadn't been interested in burying the evidence but had decided to let the elements do the work instead.

Leaning back into his crouch, he glanced up as Mai came up alongside him, his eyes reflecting the sorrow of the scene in front of him. Even Mai, who rarely showed much outward emotion, was visibly taken aback by what her husband had found.

They each took a moment of silence to compose themselves before Mai finally spoke,

"What killed him?" She asked, her voice low and quiet.

Rolling the body over, Zuko examined him thoroughly, looking for any sign of a struggle, cut, or even a burn mark from a firebending attack. He was just about to admit his puzzlement when his probing fingers reached up just into the man's hairline on the back of his skull, and it was there that he felt the viscous, sticky remains of dried blood and an obvious indentation in the skull.

Removing his fingers carefully, he stood up slowly before speaking,

"It looks like he was struck on the back of the head—but it's almost impossible to tell by what out here in the wilderness. Any kind of mace or hammer, or even the broad side of a sword could have caused the injury."

"So what now?" Mai frowned.

Zuko wiped the sweat from his brow before responding,

"We do the only thing we can do: keep going and hope we find these guys before we come across more bodies like this one."

Mai nodded once, reaching out and giving her husband's hand a quick squeeze before nimbly mounting her lizard.

Zuko smiled tightly to his wife before bending down to brush the sand back over the body, giving the unidentified man the most dignified burial he could, given the circumstances.

Mounting his lizard, he signaled the men and they continued their long march into the wilderness, their thoughts plagued with questions, with fears of what they could possibly find next.

* * *

"Toph," Sokka called, nudging his sleeping companion, "Toph…wake up. We're here."

"Mmph…five more minutes Tara, I'm tired. Go bother Sokka," She mumbled.

Sokka snorted before gently running a hand along Toph's upper arm, slowing bringing her back to consciousness.

Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, the blind earthbender gradually sat up and turned to Sokka,

"What?" She said, sensing like only she could the amused grin on Sokka's face, "are we there yet?"

The grin on Sokka's face quickly faded as reality set in. Nodding to Toph, he motioned to the town that now lay before them, snugly nestled against the mountains as the morning sun bathed it in its yellow and orange hues.

Sokka shook his head, if only the peaceful surroundings weren't a façade—if only the comforting glow was reminiscent of what they would find when they landed. If only…

"Sokka?" Toph spoke, breaking him from his revere, "you alright? Are we there?"

Smiling down at Toph, Sokka patted her arm, "We'll be there soon, and don't worry about me, I'll be fine—it's you I'm worried about."

A sad smile crossed her face, her old defiance not fully returning, "Don't worry about me; I'm tough. I can handle it."

Sokka didn't say anything, not missing the quiet frown that settled on her brow as the turned back toward the horizon.

"Just set us down on the lawn," she said, "I'm sure my folks won't mind…for once."

"Will do," Sokka agreed, "I can see your home from here."

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**I know it's not the longest chapter ever but believe me, it sets up for the next few chapters well... Please review!**


	22. The True Nature of Things

**Hey again! Weekly (I know it has been a while) updates are again continuing. Thanks again to those of you that reviewed last chapter, as always I love to hear from you. Hope this chapter gets you thinking and at least adds a little insight into why this story is titled as it is.**

**Thanks again and enjoy!**

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**The True Nature of Things**

The first thing Aang noticed as he felt his body slowly begin to regain its consciousness was that he had a splitting headache. His pulse pounded through his skull, making him want to cry out in pain with each consecutive heartbeat. Keeping his eyes closed, he gritted his teeth against the constant throbbing, willing himself to stay silent so that he would not alert his captor to his present condition.

Slowly he flexed his hand, careful to move each finger one at a time until he was confident he could grab something if he needed to. Twisting his wrist gradually, he noticed that his hands were strapped snugly to the bed he was lying on, as were his ankles.

Deciding it was time to try and open his eyes, he only managed to lift them far enough to let in light before the blinding brightness seemed to pierce his skull. Despite his best efforts, Aang could not remain silent forever, letting out a slight hiss in pain.

Suddenly he heard a noise; the soft pitter-patter of feet approaching his bedside. Then he felt a small pair of hands put pressure on his apparently bare chest and prod at certain points. Next, they moved up to his neck, fingering his lymph nodes before continuing on to his face.

He felt his captor move his face side to side before a thumb wrenched one of his eyelids abruptly skyward, letting in the harsh, biting light once again.

Letting out a gasp, Aang jerked his head to one side, tearing it away from the mysterious person's grasp. Blinking his eyes rapidly, he tried to make out some semblance of the room in which he was in, but all that seemed to come into focus were various blurs and amorphous blobs that simply swam in front of his field of vision.

"Hold still," he heard a distinctly feminine voice growl.

Aang, however, had no intention of listening to this woman.

During his struggle, Aang slowly began to notice some of the room's details begin to come into focus. He could tell that he was rather crudely strapped to some kind of bed, but it looked—and felt—like the thin leather restraints were more to keep him from moving too much than actually holding him in place.

Glancing up at his captor, he was still only able to make out a few facial details. Her face was relatively wide, high cheek bones setting off two large eyes in a fashion that gave her more of a bewildered, gentle appearance than a frightening one. Her cheeks, however, were striped with a familiar red face paint, not unlike the now infamous Colonel Kwo.

"Get off me!" Aang exclaimed in his mind, though his mouth only spewed gibberish.

He saw the woman cock her head in confusion before turning back to him, trying to hold him still despite her relatively diminutive size.

Pulling sharply on one leg strap, he felt it give way, allowing him to bring his knee up to contact her chin. The sharp snap of her jaws clicking together sounded strangely satisfying to his ears.

Wrenching his other foot out of the strap, Aang curled his body into a ball to protect his face as he let his hands slip free. Continuing to struggle, but with decidedly less-than fluid movements, Aang managed to stand up, wobbling unsteadily before fixing his opponent with a bleary stare.

Bringing his hands up and letting them glow menacingly with his fire bending, Aang was about to lash out when he heard the woman suddenly exclaim,

"Spirits Aang! Stop it! I'm not trying to hurt you!"

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"_Ana, come on!" Katara hissed as she stepped over the bodies of the now unconscious guards._

_Ana rolled her eyes—this whole plan was ludicrous. _

_She had thought Katara was crazy before she suggested taking turns soaking their shirt sleeves with their sweat so they could later ring the excess liquid into one of their food bowls that they had hidden from the guards. And It had only taken almost three days of near constant ringing and sweating for Katara to be satisfied—and Ana to be thoroughly unconvinced of her cellmate's sanity._

_Now, however, after seeing that small bit of rank liquid turned into a healthy whip, Ana could not help but be impressed. Katara had easily taken out the two guards outside their cell, their own laziness finally used against them. Then, she had managed to snake that same bit of liquid around the set of keys and use them to unlock the door._

_But now, as she looked at Katara waving her urgently forward, she could not help but feel her stomach fold in on itself. She alone knew the real reason she had been thrown in this dungeon—and she alone knew what the consequences would be if they were captured._

_But, despite all of this knowledge, here she was following Katara out their cell door. Even that action, in and of itself, made her pause and wonder who really was the crazy person in their group._

"_Ana…" Katara trailed off, motioning hurriedly to her counterpart._

"_Fine," Ana muttered, striding quickly into the hallway, "but I know I'm going to regret this."_

_Seeing that she was now being followed, Katara began heading through the maze of doors and hallways in a seemingly haphazard fashion. After a couple minutes, Ana noticed that Katara was about to double back down a way in which she had already gone._

"_Do you even know where you're going?" She asked, trying to keep the disapproval from her voice._

"_No," Katara shook her head, "I wasn't really conscious when they brought me in."_

_Ana snorted in derision, "then we'd be better off back in our cell. How did you think we were going to get out of here?"_

"_Well…" she mumbled uncertainly._

"_What, you thought we were going to be able to stop and ask for directions?" Ana sighed, pushing Katara out of the way and peering around the next corner, "Look, I've been down here for a little longer than you have—let me take the lead for a bit. You just be ready with that," she shuddered at the thought, "sweat of ours."_

_Katara nodded, clearly agitated, but placated for now._

_As Ana led the way, she was surprised to note that the halls were relatively unguarded—as if Shong Ti didn't expect anyone to be able to find their way out even if they managed to somehow escape. Just when she was thinking that their whole getaway had been far too easy, Ana peered around the next corner, frowning as the narrow hallway opened up onto a balcony that overlooked a large cavern below. Shrinking back from the faint, luminescent glow of the many crystals that dotted the great room, she allowed a soft hiss to escape her lips,_

"_What is it?" Katara asked from behind her._

"_Look," Ana responded, as if that one syllable would answer all of her questions._

_Cautiously, Katara crept forward and took a quick glance through the opening; however, once her eyes cleared the railing in front of her and found the scene below, she couldn't help but stare in wonder at what she saw._

_Below her, strewn out in a natural amphitheater not unlike the one where they had found Toph at Earth Rumble VI, were hundreds, upon thousands of men. Each was heavily armed and wearing a scowl that did nothing to hide their decidedly sinister intentions. Amidst the crowd were obvious groups, some clearly from the Fire Nation, others from the Earth Kingdom, and still additional warriors from various tribes or cultures that Katara did not recognize._

_Each group was arrayed in front of a large dais, offset by two gigantic crystals that nearly stretched from the floor of the cavern to the ceiling high above._

_Quickly pulling back, Katara's face could not hide her terror,_

"_Who are these people? What do you think they are doing?"_

_Again, Ana chose a stoic, one word response, "Listen."_

_Peering around the corner again, Katara finally noticed what she had overlooked before. _

_In front of the crowd paced a raven-like figure, garbed completely in black. The man—at least that's what she assumed it was—wore a sleeveless tunic over a pair of loose fitting black pants. Strapped to his waist was a single, bare blade, prominently displayed, but obviously more than just an ornament. His face was covered as well, hidden by a deep black hood. His arms, with which he was gesturing animatedly, were bare, his pale, almost bone white skin contrasted strongly with his outfit. But perhaps most eerily, each arm was heavily tattooed, an image of what looked like some kind of serpent or insect, winding its way from inside his tunic to his wrists._

_Straining her ears, Katara was able to catch bits and pieces of what he was saying,_

"…_but only together, under his leadership, will we be able to succeed. Only as one are we strong enough to resist. Each of us has suffered in one way or another from the Avatar's tyranny. He calls himself a savior," the figure paused at this point to spit vehemently onto the ground, "but he is nothing—he is a traitor to the so-called balance he so readily espouses._

_But no! He has forgotten that from the ashes of the Phoenix King rises an even greater threat—a threat from the very place he claims to be so intimately connected to. For now, I ask you to remember who you fight for—for who you sacrifice all that you do._

_I do not ask for your allegiance and neither does my master—but he, he does. And you would all be fools to reject it. _

_So now, I ask you to join me! Join me in heralding a new age into our world! Join me in my allegiance to something greater! Join me in ushering in the wrath of the Face-Stealer himself, and no one, not even the Avatar, will be able to stand in our way!"_

_Katara watched in horror as the figure on the stage raised his hands and the cheers of the crowd, which had been growing steadily since the man had begun speaking, burst into a deafening roar. _

_Turning back to Ana, she whispered softly, "Let's get out of here. We need to warn Aang!"_

_But, before Ana could even respond, a sickly, sweet voice came from behind them both,_

"_Did you two ladies enjoying the show?"_

_Katara gasped, whirling around in surprise to find Shong Ti, arms crossed loosely over his chest, watching them, a slight smirk playing at his lips.

* * *

_**Thanks for reading! On a personal note, I would love to hit the 100 review mark over the next couple chapters so please, if you took the time to read, let me know what you think. =)**


	23. Lies and Deception

**Ugh, sorry this took so long to get done. I honestly don't like keeping you guys waiting and would like to be a little more consistent with my updates, unfortunately sometimes real life has to come first. Thanks to those of you that took the time to review last chapter, it's always appreciated.**

**Enjoy!**

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Lies and Deception**

Mai stopped, cocking her head ever so slightly. There it was again, the small, scrabbling of rocks and sand that had seemed to disappear around every curve or bend now that they had entered the ravine Gansu had spoken of earlier. Pausing, she turned to Zuko,

"Did you hear something?"

Perplexed, Zuko frowned, shaking his head in negation.

A bit frustrated, Mai turned her attention back to the now deepening ravine, admiring the dark banding of the surrounding rocks and the occasional spot of cool shade that an overhang would provide. But, despite their peaceful surroundings, she was still thoroughly convinced they were being watched.

"There it was again!" she cried as a small line of pebbles rattled down one side of the ravine.

"Mai," Zuko said, arching an eyebrow in his wife's direction, "there are rocks everywhere. Sometimes they fall down; if we we're being followed I would notice."

"And how many times have I saved you on this trip?" she shot back.

Zuko rolled his eyes, "point taken, but still, don't you think you're overreacting a bit?"

"No, frankly, I don't think we can be too cautious. Too much has been going on lately for me to simply dismiss this as just another chance happening," she responded with conviction.

As they continued on, Mai couldn't shake the feeling that their small group soon wasn't going to be enough. This rebellion—or whatever it ended up being—was far too big, far too organized to be a simple dissident movement, and to her, Azula's participation confirmed it. She wasn't simply gallivanting across the fire nation, aimlessly burning a town or scaring some locals; she was working, and working efficiently, toward an end goal.

Lost in her thoughts, Mai's mind was temporarily taken from the situation at hand. The slow shuffle of the lizard-mounts was soothing and she felt herself begin to drift off when she saw it.

About ten feet above the floor of the ravine was a small cave, more of an outcropping of rocks than anything else, but it was definitely big enough to hide a person or two.

Silently signaling for the group to stop, Mai answered Zuko's confused look with a nod in the cave's direction. Zuko's expression quickly turned to one of quiet determination when he too saw the opening above.

Quickly dismounting, Zuko and Mai motioned for the men to be ready, training their bows on the cave's opening as they both carefully approached from below. Grabbing a handhold on the ravine's wall and waiting for her husband to do the same, Mai nodded once, pushing the ever-present tension down in her stomach, refusing to let her worry prevent her from acting.

Springing forward in concert with Zuko, she brought her feet up to where her hands had been; peering over the ledge, ready to duck back at the slightest movement. What they saw, however, was far from what they expected.

There, huddling as far back in the cave, as far as space would let him, was Lee.

This, however, was not the Lee they expected to find. In place of his perpetually dirty but always upbeat face was a look of utter and complete derision.

Lost was the joy of his youth, replaced with a look of ashen contempt and complete disregard for anything but his own, personal safety. His arms were bare and dirtier than usual, streaked with mud and grime from long days of travel and work in the sun. A trail of dried blood stained his left nostril and an unruly head of hair covered both ears, descending almost below his eyes.

Perhaps, most saddening of all, was the look in his eyes. Gone were the days of innocent curiosity, of playful and unabashed happiness—all that remained was fear.

For a young boy to have seen this much, to have gone through whatever atrocities he would have had to in order to make him this way, was a tragedy, and it cracked Mai's normally stoic exterior.

"Lee?" she called softly, hesitant to use his name and so startle him. "Lee, we're here to help you."

Lee only recoiled at the sound of Mai's voice, turning his body, hiding his face from her view.

"Please Lee," she tried again, "your mom and dad sent us. They're worried about you."

At the mention of his parents, Lee's muscles tensed, his eyes seeming to brighten before they narrowed warily, unsure what to make of this new development.

"Lee," Zuko said, finally speaking up, "come on out here. We have food and water, and we'll take you back home where it's safe."

Lee laughed, a dry, mirthless chuckle that belied his age, escaping his lips,

"What do you know about safety? You think that weapons and strength can solve any problem."

"Excuse me?" Zuko asked, taken slightly aback.

Still not moving, Lee just shrugged, "you wouldn't know—all you're used to is weapons, weapons, and more weapons. There's more to any struggle than that."

Wondering when this boy had become a philosopher, Zuko tried to speak slowly and evenly, containing his irritation, "Lee, do you remember me? Do you remember that dagger I gave you?"

"Of course," the boy shrugged indifferently.

"Well I gave you that dagger so you could protect others, just like I was able to protect you on that day. Weapons are not necessarily a sign of power, but a sign of responsibility." Zuko explained.

Lee just looked at the Fire Lord, his eyes conveying both sadness and pity, "If only I was still that naïve, Prince, or should I say, Fire Lord Zuko."

Seeing that her husband was getting increasingly frustrated—as was she—Mai decided to step in, "Lee, we're worried about you and the other children. Is there anything you know, anything that will help us find them?"

Lee sighed, for once looking a bit apologetic, a bit like the kid that they knew he was, "they're beyond your help. It's all up to the Spirits now."

Alarmed, the urgency was evident in Mai's voice, "What do you mean? Are they still out there? Are you protecting the people who did this?"

"No," Lee deadpanned, "but he's not going to just let them go."

"Who's he?" Zuko cut in, tired of the banter, "and come out here, let's at least get some food in you and get you cleaned up. We don't need to be having a conversation like this."

Lee shrugged, not responding but slowly picking his way from the back of the cave. Mai noticed that as he turned, he tried to tuck a scroll into his tunic, obscuring it from view.

"What's that?" Mai cut in, motioning to the scroll.

Lee froze. "Nothing," he mumbled.

"Let me see it, please," Zuko asked, hoping that Lee would at least be willing to work with them.

Muttering something unintelligible under his breath, Lee slowly withdrew the scroll, holding it arm's length to Zuko.

Mai came over to him once he had hopped down from the ledge, holding a blanket that one of the men had given her, and began to drape it over the young boy's shoulders.

"No!" Lee recoiled, his eyes widening in fear once again, "let me do it."

"Ok," Mai said soothingly, cocking her head curiously at such a strong reaction. Perhaps there was more to the situation than met the eye.

"Mai…" Zuko's voice trailed off, worry evident behind his words, "you need to see this. Now."

Unrolling the parchment, he handed it wordlessly to his wife, his eyes never leaving the scroll.

Gently taking the worn and weather-beaten scroll from her husband, Mai was immediately struck by the intricately drawn, detailed, and colored map of the four nations in front of her. Its precision, its complexity, seemed out of place on the obviously old, faded paper.

Quickly scanning the map, Mai's eyes were instantly attracted to the neatly formed, black script that had been added to much of the map. Each major city or town in the Earth Kingdom was connected by a thin black line with various figures and numerals alongside. The Fire Nation was marked as well, but not as heavily, a few numbers and notes were on some of the islands and near the capital itself. The Water Tribes were left largely alone, but one area of the Northern Tribe was conspicuously underlined and obviously of some importance.

"Could this be…?" Mai trailed off, looking to her husband for confirmation.

Zuko nodded, "I don't know what else it could be. This has to be a map of the route Azula was taking. Look," he added, pointing at one of the circled areas of the map, "this was the oasis where we fought those sandbenders and here," his finger continued tracing the route, "is the abandoned village where we fought Azula. And here's Plains Village."

"But what do you think these numbers mean?" Mai questioned, "they're surely too large to be troop movements."

Zuko looked up, a look of worry on his face, but before he could answer, the previously forgotten Lee spoke up in low monotone,

"That's exactly what they are."

"How do you know?" Zuko asked sharply.

"I stole that from Kotoru," he said, as if the name alone would explain everything.

Mai arched an eyebrow in his direction, "Who?"

"Kotoru," he repeated, "The Princess' lieutenant."

A hundred questions came to mind as Lee confirmed some of Zuko's worst fears, "You saw Azula? What was she doing? How did you get this?"

Lee smiled knowingly, his bright, brown eyes conveying both pity and sorrow, "The Fire Princess was indeed here, but only briefly. It was Kotoru who stole the other children and me from the Village. It was him who killed the men who came after us."

"So," Zuko began, trying to process all of what Lee was telling him, "you're saying that this is all Kotoru's doing? But," he struggled with what he wanted to say next, "how did you escape then? They couldn't have just let you go?"

At the mention of his escape, Lee's eyes darkened and his mood immediately soured, "I just got away."

"Lee," Mai frowned, "that's not good enough, surely there was more to it than that."

His eyes flared angrily and his voice escalated quickly, "Why isn't it good enough!? Aren't you happy that I'm here, with that!" He flung his arm angrily at the scroll in Mai's hands.

Holding his hands up in a nonthreatening manner, Zuko tried to placate their suddenly agitated companion, "We're very grateful that you're safe and that you brought us this information," he soothed, "but we would like you to tell us what happened. We need to know whatever you can tell us."

Taking both hands and rubbing his eyes before running them through his mess of hair, Lee looked tired beyond his years,

"Kotoru kept us all under tight guard; he even threatened his own guards with a treatment similar to ours if any of us escaped. One night, long after everyone had gone to sleep, I laid awake—unable to sleep. Well," he shrugged, "one of the guards had nodded off on his feet, so I took advantage of it."

"What about the scroll?" Zuko pressed.

"I took it," Lee deadpanned, "it was on his desk and it looked important."

Mai raised an eyebrow skeptically, "Really? It was just that easy?"

"Yeah," Lee scowled, "what? Do you wish I was still back there? Still his prisoner?"

"No, Lee, we don't," Zuko said calmly, "but your story doesn't seem to add up. You're escape was too easy. There has to be something more."

"Well there wasn't," he shot back, crossing his arms in defiance, "now are we going to go back to the Village or not?"

"By all means," Mai said, sweeping a hand in front of her, "lead the way."

Just as the boy was out of earshot, Mai leaned over to her husband, "I don't like this. His story has to be missing something."

Zuko nodded, "I agree. We need to be careful. Be ready for anything."

A knife briefly flashed in the sunlight and she smiled thinly, "I always am."

* * *

"Are you ready for this?" Sokka asked as he helped Toph gently down from atop Appa.

"Of course," Toph deadpanned, "I always wanted to come back home and seeing my dying father."

Sokka looked down at her, a pained expression on his face. Softly, he squeezed her shoulder, "Alright, let's go inside before the servants get antsy."

At this snide remark, the corner of Toph's mouth quirked up in a slight smile, reverting so quickly back to her stoic frown that Sokka wasn't even sure it had been there in the first place.

They had made it about half way to the main entrance to the estate when Toph's mother, Poppy Bei Fong, hurried her way out onto the lawn, her expensive silk robe swirling in the breeze. Her uncharacteristically unpainted face showed a combination of sadness and gratitude when she saw her daughter. Her eyes hovered briefly on Sokka before she wrapped Toph in strong hug.

"Toph dear," she exclaimed, "I'm so glad you could make it. We've missed you so much. And," she added, forcing her gaze up to meet Sokka's blue eyes, "thank you for bringing her here as quickly as you could."

Sokka nodded, "you're welcome, though I wish it wasn't under these circumstances."

Poppy's eyes softened appreciatively, smiling weakly at Sokka's comfort before gently leading Toph toward the house, motioning reluctantly for him to follow along behind.

As Sokka followed the pair at a respectful distance, he was again struck by how rich the Bei Fong family was. Ornate tapestries and intricately designed vases and sculptures lined the walls of the spacious hallway. Each window was tastefully decorated with silk draperies and hand-woven throw rugs covered much of the marble floor.

Turning down another wide hall, Sokka watched as Poppy led her daughter through a large pair of elaborately carved wooden doors, each prominently emblazoned with their family seal, the flying boar.

Quietly padding into the room, Sokka took his place rather awkwardly at the back of the room, gazing sadly at the sight that was unfolding in front of him.

Now Sokka would never have said that he liked Lao Bei Fong—he usually struck him as a hard, unforgiving man—but he had respect for him as a strong man who stuck with his convictions, even if some of them were flawed. What he saw now, however, was far from what he would have hoped.

Gone was Lao's physical strength, his limbs were limply draped on top of the sheets, his long, flowing robes were loosely gathered around an almost gaunt frame—a mute testament to the man he had been. Poppy gently mopped his brow, calmly smoothing his prominent forehead while whispering softly in his ear.

As Sokka observed the once strong leader of the Bei Fong household, he noticed one thing that hadn't changed—his eyes. Despite Lao's rapidly deteriorating condition, his eyes still retained their spark, an indication of the man he had once been. And, upon seeing his wayward daughter return, standing there helplessly by his bedside, Sokka saw something that surprised him—Lao's eyes softened and a small smile touched his face.

Wordlessly, he gathered Toph into a careful hug which she returned tentatively at first, but then whole heartedly when she realized her father's sincerity. When the two finally parted, Sokka could have sworn he saw Toph's eyes glistening as well.

Finally, Lao broke the silence, his quiet rasp a mere shadow of the strong baritone that his voice had been,

"I'm glad you came, Toph. I've missed you."

"I missed you too, dad," came Toph's quiet response.

She reached out to squeeze his hand, but before she could reach it, Lao burst out in a deep, raspy, hacking cough. With each breath his already thin body tensed, contorting itself with each violent contraction.

Sokka, who was standing at distance, did not miss the light speckle of blood that dotted his handkerchief when he slowly removed it from his mouth.

"Dad?" Toph asked quietly, "are you going to be alright?"

Sokka could have sworn he saw Poppy step forward to gently lead her daughter from the room when Lao cut her off,

"I'm sure I'll be alright," he soothed. "We've got the best healers around working on me. I'm feeling better each day."

"But how long have you been like this?" Toph pressed.

Lao tried to shrug, but in his weakened state, all he managed to do was shift the fabric that covered his shoulders.

"I started to get sick about a few mon—"

"A few months!" Toph almost shrieked. "And you didn't tell me!? You didn't even let me know that you were…were…this sick!?" She finished, struggling with each word.

"Toph dear," Lao said soothingly, "I've only been like this for the past two weeks. We didn't think it was something serious at first so we didn't want to worry you. We knew you were busy with…whatever you were doing."

"Dad," Toph said, her voice suddenly sad, "you should have told me. You didn't tell your own daughter that you were sick? Did you think I wouldn't care? Were you going to wait even longer?"

It was at this point that Poppy cut in, her face etched with concern, "Toph, your father needs to rest. Come, let's get some lunch."

"Fine," Toph said sharply, abruptly pulling her hand from her father's. "Let's go."

And with that, she huffed out of the room, leaving Sokka to ponder what had just happened.

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**Hope you liked it and thanks for reading!** **I've got the next chapter almost done so expect at least another chapter soon. Please, please review.**

**~TH  
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	24. The Gift of the Face Stealer

**Hey! So here's my next chapter, hopefully it's worth the wait! =) Thanks to all of you who read and reviewed last time, it's always nice to hear what others think of my your work. Hope you all have a great Easter weekend!**

**Enjoy!  
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The Gift of the Face Stealer**

At the sound of his name, Aang paused, squinting to try and clear his vision and determine who exactly was calling his name.

"Aang?" the voice asked again, the woman's hands at her side in a nonaggressive manner. "Don't you remember me?"

"I can't see you," Aang muttered, "all I can make out are vague shapes, and the last person I saw with red face paint tried to kill me."

"And whoever it was did a pretty good job," the voice growled, suddenly dark. "You were almost dead when you stumbled onto our doorstep."

"Our?" Aang asked, catching her slip.

The voice sighed, "Aang, you should sit down. All of this excitement isn't good for you—especially in your condition."

Aang took a deep breath, rubbing his eyes and taking his time before turning toward the bed. His eyes had been getting better and he thought he now knew who his captor-turned-savior was.

"So where is Longshot?" He asked, taking a stab at the woman's identity.

He had the privilege of seeing her wide face quirk upwards in a smile, her eyes sparkling in delight.

"So you do remember!" she exclaimed.

Aang smiled tiredly, "How could I forget you, Smellerbee? You and Longshot always seemed to pop up when we needed you." The avatar paused, a sad look crossing his face, "But you have to understand my reaction. Your face looks a lot like a Yu Yan archer's when you can't see straight."

At the mention of the archers, Smellerbee's eyes quickly widened in surprise before her face darkened and she scowled, "Them again? Spirits! I thought they left this area months ago!"

"Apparently not," Aang shook his head. "Because there were lots of them and they were ready for me. Colonel Kwo was more than prepared."

The door suddenly creaked open and Aang's head whipped around, ready for the worst, "Kwo is a very dangerous man. You'd do well to steer clear of him."

Aang's mouth hung open in shock, because there, standing in front of him, having just spoken the first coherent sentence he had ever heard him speak, was Longshot.

This time, it was Smellerbee's turn to chuckle, "Don't look so surprised Aang. Just because you hadn't heard him say anything before didn't mean he couldn't in the first place. Longshot is just a master of non-verbal communication."

As Aang gazed at Longshot, he was struck by how much he had changed in the past four years. Gone was the slightly apprehensive, silent boy, and in its place was lean, well-built man. He still retained his narrow face, his dark eyes accenting his now tan skin. His longbow was slung, as it always was, over his shoulder, and a thin sword was conspicuously attached to his belt. He was more of a warrior now, not merely the vagrant freedom fighter Aang had on his journeys.

"So you've run into Kwo before?" Aang asked, directing his question to the previously silent Longshot.

Longshot nodded, "He and his men were snooping around this area of the woods for a few months, looking for people to recruit. He even asked me to join him at one point."

"He did what!?" came Smellerbee's almost instantaneous, indignant reply. "This madman approached you to be part of his group and you didn't tell me!?"

Longshot sighed, rolling his eyes in Aang's direction before addressing Smellerbee, "Look, he pinned a note to a tree with directions on where to meet him if I was interested. It's not like I actually met him personally."

"Well still," Smellerbee said, crossing her arms angrily, "you should have told me."

Before Longshot could come up with an adequate, Aang raised an eyebrow glancing between the two before smirking at Smellerbee, "are you two…you know…together?"

Aang's questions served to break what little tension there was between the pair.

Smellerbee laughed aloud, walking over and squeezing Longshot's hand gently, "We've been together for three years now."

Aang smiled, "That's great. I always kind of figured you two would figure it out sooner or later."

"Figure it out?" Smellerbee asked half-jokingly, "what's that supposed to mean?"

"Well," Aang began sheepishly, "I never really saw Longshot as one to take the initiative."

Longshot just chuckled as his girlfriend answered for the both of them, "He didn't. I had to ask him out first—he was too nervous to do anything."

Longshot looked like he wanted to protest, but he just rolled his eyes and turned away, opting to remain characteristically silent.

"So," Smellerbee started again, smiling back at Aang, "enough about us. What brings you out here? How's Katara?"

At the mention of Katara, Aang's face dropped, a shadow seeming to blanket his figure.

"Aang," the young woman asked, "what's wrong? Did something happen to Katara?"

"She was captured," Aang stated, his voice devoid of emotion. "A man kidnapped her while we were in the Fire Nation with Zuko for the peace celebration. He left a message saying he would hurt Katara if we didn't do what he said. Since then Toph, Sokka, and I have been sent on errands for this man, gathering seemingly random supplies and ingredients and leaving them so his mysterious messenger can pick them up. I tried to find her—to catch the messenger, but…but I failed." Aang's head dropped, his eyes glistening with moisture before he was able to compose himself, "I'm still trying, but the last letter was sending me to the Eastern Air Temple when I was ambushed by Colonel Kwo."

Taking a couple steps away from Longshot and toward Aang, Smellerbee laid a hand on his shoulder, her wide eyes conveying her sympathy.

"Oh Aang," she breathed, "I'm so sorry. Is there anything we can do?"

Aang thought for a moment, "Do you know what kind of poison Kwo used?" he asked abruptly.

Smellerbee shook her head, "I couldn't tell for sure; I was more worried about making sure you were stable than anything else. But, if I were to guess, I would think that it was the venom of the rat-viper, a creature native to these parts with a particularly nasty reputation." She shrugged, "I'm not really sure but it seems like something the Yu Yan archers would use."

Aang nodded, grateful for whatever help Smellerbee could give.

Taking a moment to reflect, he glanced around, admiring the small, log cabin and the understated furnishings. The secluded eating area and table was set just for the two of them. Everything seemed so peaceful—so secure. Longshot and Smellerbee had carved out their own niche here in the forest and he couldn't simply ask them to abandon it just because he happened to stumble upon them. It just wouldn't be right, especially since they were friends of his.

"Is there anything else you know about the archers?" Aang sighed, directing his question to Longshot.

He shook his head, "Nothing that you don't already know, but I'll keep my eyes open. If I see anything, I'll contact you right away—you can be sure of that."

His quiet confidence instilled Aang with a sense of gratitude, of pride, that he had not felt in a while.

"I'd appreciate that," the avatar nodded, "and thanks for healing me. I wouldn't have made it far without either of you."

"No, you wouldn't have," Smellerbee agreed. "And I'd suggest that you spend another day or two here. If we get some food in you and a little rest you would be that much better off for your travels."

Aang shook his head, as much as his body would have liked him to stay, his mind wouldn't let him. His comfort was not as important as Katara's well being, and therefore, he needed to continue on his quest. The Eastern Air Temple was only a day or two away on his glider and the sooner he got there the better.

Standing up gingerly, Aang brought Smellerbee into a quick hug, "Thanks for your offer, but as much as I would like to stay, I have to get going. It's not going to be easy getting to the Eastern Air Temple and I need to start flying now while I still have some daylight ahead of me."

Smellerbee looked like she was going to protest when Longshot cut in, "Let him go; he needs to do this."

She glanced back at him, the spark of protest in her eyes slowly being replaced by sadness, "You're sure there's nothing I can do to change your mind?"

Aang shook his head, offering her a weak smile in return, "No, you've already done more than enough."

Grabbing his staff, he headed over the door, stopping to shake Longshot's hand as he met his eyes, "Be careful and take care of her."

A smile flickered its way across the young man's face, "I will, and be careful yourself. It's not going to be easy out there, so don't hesitate to send a message if you need us. I can promise you we'll be there."

Smellerbee nodded an affirmative, silently adding her support to her boyfriend's.

Slowly opening the door, Aang waved back one last time before he let his bending take effect, lifting himself high into the air, allowing the air currents to take him.

As he glanced back at the small cabin below, he saw Longshot, his arm around Smellerbee's shoulders, gazing up at him. What he didn't hear from high in the air, was his doubts about Aang's quest or his prayers that everything would turn out alright.

* * *

"_Shong Ti," Katara spit, what little liquid she had already out and ready in case he chose to attack._

_Behind her, Katara could hear Ana let out a soft hiss and her footsteps as she began to back away from the two of them._

_Shong Ti, however, seemed more amused by the situation than worried, his face breaking into a slow grin. Spreading his hands in a seemingly beneficent gesture, he glanced over Katara's shoulder at Ana,_

"_Did you really think her plan would work? After all you've been through, you decided to cast your lot with her?"_

_Ana rolled her eyes, not trusting herself to speak._

_Katara's eyes narrowed, her cerulean orbs darkening menacingly, "My plan hasn't failed yet—we just have to get through you, then we can warn Aang."_

_Ana cringed as Shong Ti's harsh laughter echoed off the cavern walls, before he composed himself, his face suddenly becoming hard and unforgiving._

"_You've overstepped your bounds young waterbender. Do you truly know who it is that you challenge?" He paused, tempting her to respond, "No," he finally answered for her, "you cannot even comprehend the extent of your plan's failure. I was doomed before it even began."_

_In one quick motion, he stepped forward, swiping his hands to the side and watching in satisfaction as Katara's water whip melted into the stone floor._

_Ana watched in dismay as their only weapon slowly dissolved through the cracks in the stone. _

_Katara however hadn't moved, her posture rigid and eyes wide. Her mouth worked slowly, silently for a few moments until her brain finally caught up with her mouth,_

"_But…but," she stuttered, "you're a waterbender?"_

_Shong Ti, who had been watching Katara's consternation with growing satisfaction, suddenly approached within a hand span of her chest. He met her eyes stonily, his stormy blue orbs matching hers, seeming to draw her into the depths of his mind, silently daring her to go further._

_Katara, who had previously been rooted in place, abruptly drew back, a quiet gasp escaping her lips, "You're from the Southern Water Tribe too!"_

_Shong Ti smiled coldly and nodded, "very good little one. I was wondering when you would notice."_

"_But how…why?" she stammered._

_This time Shong Ti did not smile, merely opting to clasp his hands behind his back like a school teacher lecturing a child, "I was a young waterbender in the Southern Tribe not long before you were born. I was quite good, one of the best in the entire tribe—and as a result I caught the attention of the Fire Nation. They had been raiding our tribe for a while now, but generally they just took a few of the benders, deciding it was more effective to rule by fear than by extermination._

_Well, in one of these raids they took it too far, taking some of our women that weren't even benders. A small group of us decided to strike back, sinking the next group of raiders before they even reached our shore. Every raider went down with the ship."_

_Katara frowned, "but how di—"_

"_We left no one alive," Shong Ti said darkly. "And because of this, the Firelord decided that we were too much of a threat—that no waterbenders should be left in the Southern Tribe." _

_Turning back to Katara, he raised an eyebrow in her direction, "did you ever wonder why the Fire Nation targeted your tribe instead of the Northern one? It wasn't simply because of your smaller size, it was because of us—because of what we did._

_In one of the subsequent raids, the Firelord sent an entire division of his best troops. They drove us back, destroying three of the four walls we had set up to protect our village. They killed some of us—others they captured, opting to send us here," he motioned to the surrounding caverns, "for The Breaking."_

_Katara shuddered, cringing at the thought of such a fate._

"_But that's not all," he added, his voice dropping to a whisper, "they offered a…reeducation…program to their inmates. And it was there that I learned to use my power to its true potential, to teach others to use theirs as well. The man speaking," he motioned through the doorway that stretched down into the cavern below, "was my best pupil—one of the few graduates of my own training program."_

_Suddenly, the sound of pounding feet assaulted Katara's ears, and she wheeled, astounded by what she saw. Ana, who had been slowly edging down the hallway while Shong Ti was talking to Katara, finally broke into a sprint, doing her best to escape while keeping Katara in Shong Ti's line of fire._

_Katara's eyes widened, a surprised exclamation appearing on her lips, a look of betrayal in her eyes._

_Shong Ti, however, was already in motion, sprinting towards Katara, a predatory grin on his lips. As he flipped over her head, Katara watched in shock as his body seemed to elongate and then shrink in on itself._

_His face, which had been rather dour and bit wrinkled, seemed to become taut and upbeat, and even, Katara hesitated to think, a bit feminine. As she watched him sprint down the hallway, his body seemed to transform in front of her, becoming thin and lithe, and—if Katara was honest with herself—taking a decided resemblance to Ty Lee._

_After three more steps, he was on top of Ana, and with two quick, chi-blocking jabs, Ana was lying paralyzed on the ground, her eyes wide in shock._

_As Shong Ti turned, Katara could only look on in speechless horror because there, standing in front of her, was Ty Lee—or at least she would have thought it was her if she hadn't seen what had just happened._

_Noting her confusion, Shong Ti's mouth curved upward in a very unnatural, disconcerting smirk._

"_Impressed?" came the sing-song voice of the faux Kyoshi warrior._

_Katara tried to come up with some response but all that escaped her lips was a confused gasp._

_Glancing down at Ana's prone form, Shong Ti gave it a quick kick before crossing his arms over his suddenly substantial chest._

"_As I'm sure you heard," he answered, still in Ty Lee's voice, "Koh is coming—and coming soon."_

"_But how…" Katara's voice trailed off weakly._

_Shong Ti smiled, combining Ty Lee's natural enthusiasm for life with his own, bitter, calculating stare, "Koh is more powerful than you could possibly imagine—even more powerful than your precious Avatar. You see, while I was being reeducated, I had the privilege of examining some of Fire Lord Ozai's most ancient texts from the Dragon Bone Catacombs—in particular, the research of Fire Lord Liang-shek."_

_Katara's eyes widened, not because she recognized the ancient Fire Lord's name, but because she understood the importance of the knowledge that dwelt in the Catacombs. They were supposedly only for the Fire Lord's eyes and his select group of sages. No one else was supposed to have access._

"_This Fire Lord," Shong Ti continued, seemingly content to lecture Katara for the time being, "was intent on freeing a spirit from its prison in the Spirit World, where, upon its release, would be free to wreak havoc in the mortal world. And," he held up a hand, forestalling any questions from Katara, "he was close—so very close—to succeeding before he mysteriously died. No one knows for certain" he shrugged indifferently, "but many speculate that he was murdered._

_When I was in the Catacombs, I was obsessed with reading every word I could find—memorizing volume after volume until I found his secret. Apparently he had been able to make contact with the Spirit World but had not been able to figure out a way to bring one of them into our world._

_Using what I had memorized, I was secretly able to make contact with Koh—a far wiser and more powerful spirit than I could ever have hoped for. He gave me only a glimpse of the powers he promised me if I was able to bring him into the mortal world, and now," he paused, Ty Lee's hips swinging suggestively as he walked over to look Katara in the eyes, "thanks to your lovely Avatar, I almost have everything I need to keep my side of the bargain."_

_Katara's hands tightened into fists, her eyes darkening over his thinly veiled contempt for Aang. As much as she wanted to hit him, to see him suffer for all he had done—for all he planned to do—she knew she couldn't. There would be time for that later, but now she needed to keep him talking._

"_But," Katara asked, "how are you Ty Lee now if the real Ty Lee is with the Kyoshi Warriors?"_

_Again Shong Ti smiled disconcertingly, "Koh's power, when manifested in the mortal world, doesn't simply allow him to change his face, but his entire body. It gives him the same powers and abilities that that person had when he or she was living. And, just like Koh, I have the ability to steal someone's identity; however, mine is not permanent like his. _

_If I so choose," he continued, "and if your face betrays any expression other than a stoic neutrality, I can assume your bodily identity. When I assume someone's identity, it's as if their spirit leaves their body for a short period of time. To you and I, it would appear as if the person were unconscious, but when they wake up, they will remember nothing. It will be as if they never existed for that period of time."_

_Katara glanced down at Ana's form, suddenly very aware of any expression she was showing. She felt exposed, like for once in her life she was totally unprepared and without a plan. She opened her mouth to ask her captor another question, when Shong Ti cut her off sharply,_

"_No! I've played your game long enough!" His eyes flashed and his voice dropped, his normal baritone seeming out of place in Ty Lee's body, "I would kill you for your escape attempt if I didn't still need you, but," he paused, silently gauging Katara's reaction, "I have no such need for your friend here."_

"_NO!" Katara screeched, recoiling in shock, "you can't do that! The escape was my idea! Don't punish her—punish me!"_

"_Oh I will," Shong Ti chuckled, "but you need to understand that your actions have consequences. I can't have you trying to escape every time I turn my back on you."_

"_No!" Katara shouted, taking a step toward her captor as she brought her hands up to strike._

_Shong Ti didn't hesitate as he used Ty Lee's swiftness and agility to easily get inside Katara's guard, his hands moving quickly as he disabled first her arms and then her legs. He watched in satisfaction as Katara swayed on her feet before finally collapsing limply on floor, not five feet from where Ana lay._

_Still smiling, she watched in horror as he raised a booted foot above her head. Then everything went black.

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_**....ya this was a pretty major chapter so if there was any confusion or ambiguity, please let me know. It all seems to work for me but then again I know where this is all going so sometimes I overlook some stuff. **

**Anyway, thanks for reading and please review!**

**PS. I don't hate Katara, I just need you to hate Shong Ti =) Besides, if everything turned out alright, the story would be pretty boring, wouldn't it not? (Things will turn around eventually lol)  
**

**~TH  
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	25. A Business Proposal

**Hey all! Sorry for the delay but things have been a bit hectic--I just finished up classes yesterday and have 2 weeks of finals to go! Also, warm weather has not been conducive to getting this written. Anyway, thanks to all of you who reviewed last chapter, and the first reviewer today will get to be number 100 for this story! =) Thanks so much.**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter.

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**A Business Proposal**

Mai sighed in relief, glad that their group would finally be leaving the ravine and be back in the vast, open desert that surrounded Plains Village. As much as she welcomed the cliff's cooling shade, she still couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Her knife was always ready, her eyes constantly scanning the area in front of the group.

Everything appeared to be going smoothly when suddenly the lead lizard-mount let out a sharp hiss and began shuffling backwards into the group behind, its tail twitching agitatedly.

Mai frowned, something was obviously wrong. Lizard-mounts were not easily spooked, and even if they became a little jumpy, a trained soldier should be able to control one.

The soldier atop this mount, however, remained motionless, and as the creature continued to back away, Mai watched as his center of gravity shifted, his body slowly slumping as he tumbled off his mount, dead before he hit the ground.

The men reacted immediately—a tribute to their training—as the lieutenant called out orders, encircling the Fire Lord and his wife.

Quickly moving Lee from his position in front of him to behind, Zuko's eyes searched for their attacker, his brow furled in grim determination.

Suddenly, Mai burst from her mount, using its back to spring onto the rocky walls as she propelled herself upward in an effort to gain a better vantage point. She moved in a blur and Zuko never saw her attack, but a grunt and the sudden tumbling of rock and dirt from the other side of the ravine indicated otherwise.

When a body finally landed, hitting the ground with soft thump, Zuko could see one of Mai's knives protruding from the man's neck, a bow still clutched in his lifeless hand.

Nobody moved. Silence reigned and all he could hear was Mai's ragged breathing and the agitated hisses of the mounts as they swayed in the enclosed space.

"Mai?" he called, anxiously, "what do you see?"

She scanned the top of the ravine uneasily, not seeing any of the tell-tale movements that had given the other archer away.

"I don't see anything," she frowned, "but there has to be more of the—"

The last part of Mai's sentence was cut off by a low rumbling that slowly built into a loud roar as the sides of the ravine seemed to shake and the rocks began to rain down on all sides of the party. The lizard-mounts hissed uneasily, swaying as their riders fought to keep them under control.

"Mai…" Zuko's voice trailed off worriedly.

Eyeing the ground warily from her elevated position, everything suddenly clicked, "Earthbenders!" she called.

Zuko's reaction was instantaneous, yelling to his four remaining soldiers to hold their ground.

Sure enough, just as the rumbling seemed to climax, four earthbenders shot from the ground on either side of the group, their arms up, ready to attack.

Mai tensed, ready to fling another dagger, but surprisingly, it was her husband who spoke, "only four earthbenders?" he asked, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

The lead earthbender sneered, the dark green bandana that covered the lower half of his face shifting slightly. He didn't answer, but at his directive the other three benders shifted their feet, punching their hands into the sides of the ravine.

Zuko watched with growing anxiety as the sides of the cliff began to splinter and rocks began to fall. Two of the lizard mounts hissed loudly, rearing back on their hind legs to avoid being crushed and almost throwing their riders off in the process. Expecting the worst, Zuko's attention shifted back to the benders, but surprisingly, they hadn't moved after their initial strikes.

Quickly, Zuko glanced up to where the rocks had fallen and what he saw filled him with a mixture of shock and concern. Apparently the benders' attacks had not been random, but in fact were only the beginnings of a well-planned ambush.

As the dust cleared, Zuko could make out three caves that, in retrospect, had obviously been covered up by the earthbenders before Mai and he had even reached the ravine. Inside each of them were five soldiers, each armed with a bow that was currently trained on the party below.

"Well done Lee," a deep, male voice said from above.

Whirling around, Zuko found the speaker—a very tall, thickly muscled man. His protruding belly did nothing to take away from his disconcerting appearance as his head was shaved bare, and heavily tattooed with some design that Zuko could not make out from his angle. His small, beady eyes belied his obvious intelligence and the stout, bloodied mace that he held in one hand indicated a propensity for violence.

Seemingly satisfied, he idly smacked the blunt end of his weapon into his open palm, the meaty thump of the impact on his bare flesh reverberating across the ravine.

"Lee?" the man that Zuko assumed had to be Kotoru, asked.

"Yes?" came Lee's voice from the back of Zuko's mount, sounding uncertain.

"I said, well done," he repeated.

"Oh…of course," Lee stammered, "thank you sir."

"Now," he commanded, "bring me the map."

Lee's eyes clouded, his brow furrowing as he suddenly found his saddle to be more interesting than Kotoru.

"Lee…" Kotoru trailed off dangerously.

"She has it," he conceded, pointing over at Mai.

Kotoru allowed a small smile to grace his wide face as his eyes flickered down to where Mai was sitting, tense, but stationary.

"Good," he shrugged, "then you can take it off her dead body."

Before Zuko could even come up with an adequate retort, Lee spoke over him, indignantly crying, "that's not what we talked about!"

Kotoru's face, which had previously seemed relatively impassive, instantly changed. His eyes narrowed and his biceps tensed, and Zuko could almost see the vein throbbing across his shaved, tattooed skull.

"And you weren't supposed to bring them that map!" Kotoru responded.

"But wha—" Lee tried.

"No!" Kotoru bellowed, "I will not listen to your excuses. You have made my decision for me. After we are done with the Fire Lord and his wife, you will go back with the other children."

This time, Zuko spoke before Lee, his voice rising to the caves above, commanding the attention of all who were present,

"Kotoru," he began, watching in satisfaction as the man's eyes narrowed, irritated at having his identity revealed, "release the children and you will be allowed to go free. There is no need to fight, and you are badly outmatched."

"Let me be the judge of that," Kotoru scoffed, and in one fell swoop he leaped off the ledge and fell down toward the group below, his mace raised menacingly above his head.

* * *

Sokka yawned, stretching his arms skyward in an effort to calm his complaining muscles. Throwing aside the light green, silk sheets, he swung his legs over the side of the bed, squinting at the soft light coming through the window at the far end of the room.

The day looked sunny and bright—perfect for walking the grounds or simply relaxing outside; unfortunately, the weather didn't match Sokka's mood.

He hadn't seen Toph except for briefly at dinner the day before and her parents had been polite but blunt. They didn't mind his presence and were grateful for his assistance in bringing their daughter home, but they were adamant that neither of them wanted anything to happen from there.

Sokka had spent most of the past evening contemplating this unfortunate development and had tried to chalk it up to simply the stresses of the situation, but he couldn't help but feel they were making more of it than there really was—after all; he and Toph were just best friends, weren't they?

Shaking his head in a futile effort to clear his head, Sokka stood up, stumbling over to his dresser where he pulled on the only other clean pair of pants and tunic that he had brought. He was sure that the Bei Fongs could bring him some other cloths if he wanted them, but he was more comfortable in his own, plain tunics than anything as upscale or as fancy as they would most likely provide.

Stepping through the doorway and making his way from the servant's wing where he had been housed and down into the kitchen, Sokka wasn't surprised to find none of the Bei Fongs there; he could understand that they had better things to do than feed him.

Grabbing a moon peach from the table, Sokka took a bite and ambled through the hallways of the expansive estate, heading down the wing that housed Toph's room. Finally reaching her doorway, Sokka paused, contemplating the wisdom of knocking on the earthbender's door despite it being almost midday.

_Knock, knock, knock_. Sokka rapped his knuckles on the hard wooden facing and waited for a response from inside. When none came, he immediately became impatient, calling,

"Toph, are you up yet?"

Surprisingly, no irritable, sleep-deprived earthbender greeted his call.

Growing frustrated, Sokka decided to take matters into his own hands, "Toph, I'm coming in."

And with that, Sokka opened the door, careful to avert his eyes from what he assumed would be the indecent form of his friend, but what he found was certainly more worrisome than a half-clothed Toph. Her bed was empty, bedding strewn across the floor, and the window's curtains were quietly billowing into the empty room.

"Toph," he called, more to himself than anyone else, "where are you?"

Muttering under his breath he went over to the window that overlooked the Bei Fong's expansive grounds. Sokka couldn't help but admire the perfectly manicured flower gardens and the quiet brook that meandered its way under a low stone bridge and through a grove of trees before emptying itself into a pond that was filled with bright orange and yellow koi fish.

Everything was perfect, except, Sokka smirked, for the muddy trail that began directly under Toph's windowsill and wove its way through the flower gardens, strewing the multi-colored heads haphazardly aside in its wake.

Hopping over the short ledge and taking the three foot drop gracefully, Sokka began to follow the path of destruction through the grounds. After he had passed one grove of trees, over the shallow brook, and through another garden, Sokka began to grow a little worried—he knew Toph was going through a rough time, but she was usually very stoic when it came to her emotions, letting little of her true thoughts show through.

Therefore, when Sokka happened upon her small form sitting silently on a bare rock in the midday sun, her bare feet dangling conspicuously in the quietly bubbling brook, he was surprised to see her body shaking with repressed tears.

Not wanting to startle her too badly, he purposely stepped on a fallen twig, letting the loud snap reverberate across the glade before approaching.

"Sokka?" Toph called, guessing at his identity.

"Yeah, it's me," he said, coming over to sit on the rock next to her, his broad frame easily dwarfing her smaller one. "I got worried when I didn't find you in your room. I kind of figured you'd still be sleeping."

Toph snorted, "Couldn't sleep."

"You," Sokka asked, feigning surprise, "couldn't sleep? What is the world coming to?"

"Quiet Snoozles," Toph chuckled, leaning over to punch his arm. "There's a reason I gave that nickname to you, not myself, after all."

"And here I thought it was just because you liked me," Sokka joked, failing to notice the slight smile that crossed Toph's face. "So," he continued, adopting a more serious tone, "what brings you out here? What were you thinking about?"

"Nothing," Toph muttered, her blind eyes still fixed on the water below.

"Nothing?" Sokka asked skeptically, trying to decide if he wanted to press Toph further.

Toph didn't say anything, opting to stare silently out into distance.

"Toph…" Sokka said again.

Not taking her eyes off the water, Toph spoke up quietly, "My dad's going to die, isn't he?"

"Of course not!" Sokka exclaimed, trying to sound confident for her sake.

"I don't even need my earthbending to tell you're lying," Toph sighed.

"Toph," Sokka said, slowly reaching over and squeezing her much smaller hand gently, "I'm not a healer—anything can happen."

"I know," Toph conceded, slowly gathering herself before continuing, "but you know what makes it even worse?"

"No," Sokka said quietly.

"When he's gone, there will be no one left to manage the estate. No one to run the business, no one to manage our money…things just won't be the same."

Frowning, Sokka glanced over at his companion, "Can't your mother do that?"

Sighing audibly, Toph shook her head, a slight smile on her lips, "you don't understand high society, do you Snoozles?" But before Sokka could come up with an adequate retort, Toph continued, her face returning to its previous state of impassivity, "You see, women aren't allowed to manage estates—it has to be a man."

"But wha—" Sokka started.

Throwing a hand up haphazardly in front of Sokka, Toph effectively silenced his response, "Remember when I turned sixteen?"

"Of course," Sokka answered, a bit perplexed, "Katara, Aang, and I all came here to your party."

"Well," Toph continued, "remember how my father didn't get me anything for my birthday?"

"Yeah," Sokka admitted, scratching idly behind his head, "I always thought that was a little odd but I figured it wasn't my place to say anything."

"For once," Toph chuckled, taking a breath before she continued. "The reason he didn't get me anything was because he already had. For you see, when I returned home after we defeated the Fire Lord, he started bringing all these suitors to the house to court me, insisting that I needed to find a husband so I could be married by the time my birthday came around. I refused," Toph paused, a brief smile flashing across her face, "earthbending most of them right out of the house."

For whatever reason, Sokka found himself rather relieved at Toph's rejection of these men.

"One day, about a week before my birthday, when it became obvious to my father that I was not going to choose anyone by the time I turned sixteen, my father brought me into office and sat me down. He said he was going to treat my marriage as a business proposal, and therefore, he was going to make me a deal.

For my birthday, he offered to stop bringing suitors to the house for the next two years, until I turned eighteen, if I would be willing to marry a man of his choosing after that day. I thought two years would be enough, enough time to find someone I really loved—or at least someone who cared about me—but it's almost been a year, and nothing has changed. But now," Toph stopped again, her composure, which had been so strong up and until now, finally cracking and a quick sniffle escaped her lips, "if my father dies, I will have no choice but to marry the first man that walks through that door because our family will need someone to manage the estate."

Sokka started to say something, but Toph cut him off again, seeming to speak more to herself than the man sitting next to her, "I mean, if I were engaged, or at least had a boyfriend, things might be different—I would at least have some time. But honestly, who would want to marry me? I'm just an ugly, little blind girl who happens to come from a family with a lot of money."

Finally Toph stopped, allowing Sokka to get a word in, "Toph," he began slowly, "to start with your father isn't dead yet. He could still get better and all of your worrying will be for nothing. Secondly, you're not in this alone—you have Aang, Katara, and me. We're not going to desert you or let you marry some random stranger. And finally," he finished, squeezing Toph's hand once again, "you're a beautiful young lady and I think someone would be very lucky if they were to marry you."

They sat there for a moment, letting the silence and quiet babbling of the brook stretch between them.

Giving Sokka a sad smile, Toph slowly stood up, smiling slightly. She patted his shoulder gently as she began to leave, "Thanks Sokka, I really appreciate it, but I'm afraid I might not have any other choice."

As she left, her footsteps quietly fading, it was Sokka's turn to stare blankly into the water, his eyes unfocused as his mind mulled over what he had just learned. He didn't know what to do or how to do it, but he knew he had to do something or else his friend would be in a very bad situation indeed.

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**Just in case it wasn't complicated enough as it is! =) Please review.**

**~TH**


	26. The Guru's Suggestion

**Hey all, sorry this took a bit to get up. I had to finish up finals (which went pretty well) and then pack up my stuff and travel home. Needless to say, there wasn't a lot of time to get some writing in. Regardless, I'm back now and hopefully this chapter is worth the wait. **

**Anyways, thanks for reviewing last chapter and I'm so very grateful to those of you that do review and thanks so much for getting this over 100 reviews. It really means a lot to hear from you all.**

**Hope you enjoy!

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**The Guru's Suggestion**

Despite being an airbender, Aang couldn't have been happier when he saw the majestic spires and twisting towers of the Eastern Air Temple finally pierce the evening haze. He was exhausted; he had been staying aloft primarily through his bending with little help from the air currents for the past day and a half.

As he set down softly on the hard stone decking, Aang wanted nothing more than to find a quiet room and sleep for a few hours, but he wouldn't let himself do that. He needed to find the silver-lipped tigerseye flower as fast as he could. He didn't want to waste time for his own comfort while Katara was still being held captive.

Trudging up the winding staircase of the building in which he had landed, Aang ran his hand along the rough, stone chipped wall of the ancient temple. The years of weathering had caused the temple to lose much of its original luster but none of its character. It still stood strong as ever, a bastion against the elements, a safe haven to those that could find it.

Aang couldn't help but smile to himself as he thought back to the temple's roots—the bustling community of monks surrounded by sky bison and lemurs. He could almost hear the happy, busy commotion, the laughter and joy that his own life seemed to be missing.

Coming to the flat roof on the top of the building, Aang was about ready to take off for one of the cloud shrouded peaks that surrounded the temple, when he was stopped by a familiar sight. In front of him sat an ancient, dark skinned man, and even though his back was to Aang, the avatar could see tufts of his snow white beard peeking out from around his gaunt frame, his bald head glistening in the late afternoon sun. True to form, his eyes were closed and wrists balanced perfectly on his knees, his thumbs gently touching his forefingers.

Despite Aang's relatively quiet approach, it was the man in front of him who spoke first, his voice a lilting sing-song that belied his age, "Avatar Aang, it is good to see you again."

"And you too, Guru Pathik," Aang responded, bowing slightly at the waist.

"I must admit," the guru added, "that I'm surprised to see you. There has been much trouble in the Spirit World recently—and I suspect it has much to do with you. I do not, however, know why. But seeing as you're here now, perhaps you could help me."

Aang frowned, as much as he would have liked to carry on a conversation with the man who had helped him in his mastery of the avatar state, he didn't have time to debate the finer nuances of the ever-confusing Spirit World.

"I don't know," Aang said honestly, hoping to end the conversation right there.

Unfortunately for him, Guru Pathik was not easily deterred.

"But surely," he continued, finally opening his eyes and unwinding his limbs as he stood up fluidly, "you didn't come here simply to visit an old friend, did you?"

Aang grimaced, shaking his head, "No, unfortunately, I did not."

"Then," the guru proceeded, asking the obvious question, "why are you here?"

Aang sighed resignedly, deciding to be truthful but to keep his explanation brief, "I'm here because some madman has captured Katara and he promised to return her unharmed if I complete a few tasks for him. This time, we wants me to get a silver-lipped tigerseye flower from one of the surrounding peaks." Aang paused, contemplating the guru's stoic face, "you wouldn't happen to have seen any around here, would you?"

Guru Pathik frowned, a gesture that only emphasized his many wrinkles, before responding, "That explains much," he nodded. "Both you and the young water bender have a distinctive presence in currents that bind this world with that of the Spirits. It has been obvious lately that something has upset them—that someone has thrown a stone into a previously still pool. But still, Katara's capture could not have caused all that I have sensed, surely there must be something more."

Aang shook his head, not entirely sure how to respond to what he was being told.

Scratching his bald head in consternation, the guru began pacing agitatedly in front of the avatar, muttering under his breath, "Something needs to be done…but what…things are not right." Abruptly he stopped, turning to face Aang, his eyes deadly serious, "When was the last time you entered the Spirit World? Have you talked with any of your past lives about your situation?"

Looking down at the ground, Aang rubbed his arm, slightly embarrassed that he had not thought to do so earlier, "No," he admitted, "I haven't."

"Then do it now," the guru pleaded. "Please avatar, things are not right in the Spirit World, and you are the bridge between them and us. You need to talk with them. Something needs to be done."

"But Katara…" Aang began to explain.

"Her again!" Guru Pathik exclaimed, "do you remember what happened the last time you wouldn't let go of her for a moment!?"

"It turned out alright!" Aang protested, his eyes flashing in defiance.

Sighing, the guru's face dropped, his eyes reflecting a deep sadness. Bowing slightly, he spoke calmly once again, "Forgive me, avatar. It wasn't my place to say anything; I am just worried. There are forces at work bigger than the both of us. I implore you—seek out your past lives, especially Avatar Kuruk—his wisdom would be invaluable at a time like this."

Aang eyed the guru, contemplating what he had just heard. Outwardly he was calm, but internally he was torn. He knew he was the bridge between the mortal and spirit worlds and could not simply abandon his duties to the Spirits—but his sense of responsibility, of love for Katara was overwhelming. And besides, what did Kuruk even have to do with this? What would he know?

Frankly, Aang didn't know and really didn't care—he was not about to let the guru's worries affect his own decisions. He was about to acknowledge the elderly man's advice but politely decline when a thought struck him, "I'll do it—on one condition."

"And what is that?" Guru Pathik asked skeptically.

Smiling, Aang met the older man's eyes, "That while I'm in the Spirit World, you go find the flower for me."

After thinking for a moment, Guru Pathik nodded curtly, "that is acceptable. I will have it for you when you return to your body."

"Thank you," Aang finished as he quietly walked out onto the center of the rooftop and sat himself down, already beginning to take deeper breaths, working to calm his troubled mind.

"If you wish," the guru added as he started down the stairs, "there's some onion and banana juice in my room. It may help you in your journey."

Trying to keep from gagging, Aang merely nodded, his mind turning in on itself, stretching to reach the strange world that was at once seemed so far away and yet was so intricately connected with his being.

* * *

_It had been three days—or at least three cycles of breakfasts and dinners—and Katara had seen no one except for the guards. They crossed her field of vision four times during each "day." Twice during mealtimes and twice when they were relieved by another pair. They never spoke, never did anything but stand watch. _

_The only time they acknowledged her existence—that they were guarding anything other than an empty cell—was when they slid the crusty piece of bread and small cup of rice through the slot in the door and when they let her drink._

_Drinking had become the worst, most degrading, experience of the entire process because apparently Shong Ti wasn't taking any more chances. When Katara had awoken, she found that her hands were shackled together in front of her, a mere six inches of chain connecting the two, while her ankles were attached in the same way. As an extra precaution, there was a short, two foot long chain that connected her ankle bracelets to the floor—in short, she wasn't going anywhere. _

_So when the guards came to give her something to drink, they were forced to stick a cup on the end of a long pole and stick it in her face. Most often, they simply jammed it against her teeth, cutting her gums as she tried to slurp up whatever last drops of water hadn't been spilled because of their carelessness._

_She tried talking to the guards; she tried yelling, pleading, anything to get them to acknowledge her—but to no avail. Katara's existence was to be seen but not heard. It seemed hopeless, and as the days dragged on, even Katara was beginning to wonder if it would ever truly end._

_She hadn't seen Ana since that fateful day and she her mind was preoccupied, worried that Shong Ti would make good on his threat to kill her. And if she ever found out that he had, she prayed that the Spirits would give her the restraint she would need if she ever confronted him outside of the walls of this prison._

_Just then, she heard muffled conversation and keys jingling outside her door. Perplexed, Katara awkwardly tried to stand up, her restraints clanking loudly against each other as she swayed in an attempt to keep her balance. Craning her neck to see out the door's small window, Katara was even more surprised to see the door swing open and a smiling Shong Ti standing in the bright entryway._

_Katara didn't even bother to try and hide her repulsion as she looked down, her eyes adjusting slowly to the sudden brightness, "What do you want?" She spat, "haven't you done enough already?"_

_Shong Ti didn't respond immediately, merely watching his victim like a predator eyeing his prey. Finally he opened his mouth to speak, "I wanted to apologize for what happened. I didn't mean for either of you to get hurt."_

_Katara was shocked; she couldn't believe the nerve of this man—standing in front of her, trying to tell her that everything was alright, that what he was doing was acceptable, _

"_What!?" She shrieked, her shackles clinking against each other as she shook with palpable rage, "Do you think anything you do, anything you say, can make this better!? You're…you're a monster, and I don't want to see you ever again!"_

_Shong Ti had remained stoic throughout Katara's outburst, not even flinching at her insults. When she had finished, huffing and puffing from her sudden exertion, he calmly spoke into the silence, "I understand where you're coming from, and I'm sorry about Ana."_

"_You're what!?" Katara exclaimed, her eyes widening in fear, "what did you do to her?"_

_Shong Ti merely shrugged, turning to leave the cell, "she didn't make it."_

_Katara didn't even hear the door slam shut and the key turn in the lock, but she felt her legs grow weak and collapse under her own weight, her mind reeling against such a revelation. Ana had been her only friend, her only source of sanity in this place, and now, she too was gone. _

"_Aang," Katara whispered through muffled sobs, "come…come quickly…I'm not sure how much longer I can last."

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_**Thanks for reading, please review!**

**~TH  
**


	27. Kotoru

**Hey all, sorry for the delay in getting this up, I sort of lost inspiration for this fic for a bit. Thanks to those of you that reviewed last time.** **Hope you enjoy it!

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Kotoru**

The instant Kotoru jumped, Zuko sprang into action, leaping from his lizard-mount and throwing both himself and Lee clear of the impact. They both landed in a heap, breathing hard.

Kotoru, however, didn't give them time to recover, but rolled from his fall and charged, brandishing his mace with a feral yell.

Mai was quicker to act, using her position on the wall of the ravine to fling her shuriken at some of warriors who were now appearing from the newly opened caves. She had the satisfaction of seeing two of them collapse, shurikens protruding from their necks, before she was forced to duck back to avoid the barrage of arrows that they launched.

Zuko's four remaining soldiers knew they couldn't simply sit in their exposed position in the middle of the ravine, so at the lieutenant's order, they grouped up, charging the nearest earthbender in an attempt to overwhelm him.

Zuko knew he couldn't afford to watch Mai or his troops any longer, but needed to focus on keeping both himself and Lee safe. Pushing Lee off to the side, Zuko threw a couple haphazard fire blasts over his shoulder, forcing Kotoru to break stride as he ducked out of the way.

"Go Lee! Run!" Zuko yelled, taking advantage of Kotoru's momentary hesitation by pushing Lee ahead of him.

Turning to face his opponent, Zuko almost lost his head as the giant mace whizzed inches from his nose, forcing Zuko to roll backwards in an effort to put some distance between himself and his enemy.

Kotoru didn't give him the chance, swinging wildly, he ducked a fire blast, grinning maniacally the entire time.

Suddenly Zuko felt his back hit something hard and his hand encountered the rough, rock wall of the ravine behind him. His eyes grew big as Kotoru bared down on him.

"Mai!" Zuko called, not taking his eyes off the swinging mace, "A little help here?"

The Fire Lord's salvation did not, however, come from his wife but in the form of one of the rider-less lizard-mounts that had been startled by the surrounding battle. Kotoru, in his single-minded determination to kill the Fire Lord, neglected to see the lizard-mount bearing down on him, and the creature's head took him in the side, whipping his body around as if it were a mere toy. Zuko watched as his body impacted the cliff and bounced off, landing in a heap a few yards from where he was standing.

Taking a second to catch his breath, Zuko turned his attention to the surrounding battle.

It appeared that Mai had managed to clear one of the three nests of troops that the earthbenders had exposed and was now flinging her knives and shurikens across the ravine at the other two, trying to keep them pinned down.

The Fire Lord's four remaining soldiers, however, were not doing nearly as well. Apparently, the lieutenant had rallied his surviving men and organized a charge in an effort to overwhelm the enemy earthbenders. The four of them had managed to incapacitate one bender, but two of the soldiers were down. One had taken a boulder to the leg and was writhing on the ground in pain, while another had taken a rock to the helmet and looked to be gone.

Deciding that Mai would be fine where she was, Zuko sprinted towards his two remaining men. The lieutenant and the other man were back to back, frantically trying to dodge and deflect the incoming rocks with their swords, and slowly losing the battle. Just as Zuko was about to reach them, the lieutenant slipped, a rock darting under the blade of his sword and taking him in the shoulder.

He spun around, dropping to knee as his sword flew from his grasp. A testament to his training, he had his dagger out from the sheath on his calf before the bender had a chance to fire another rock.

Desperate to divert their attention, Zuko fired two long range fireballs that crossed between the downed soldier and his two attackers. The attack flew wide but created the desired effect—two of the earthbenders peeled off, immediately focusing their attention on the Fire Lord, leaving their last man to deal with the two soldiers.

Zuko dodged to the right, avoiding two of the rocky missiles that were shot his direction. Opting not to simply throw his fireballs for fear of scorching his men, Zuko tried to close the distance between himself and his enemies. His opponents, however, seemed intent on keeping him at range, firing wave after wave of stony soil his direction. They forced the Fire Lord to defend himself, breaking through each successive wave with his bending, gaining ground but very slowly.

Zuko knew he was winning the battle when he saw the earthbenders exchange a worried glance before they began backing away from him, still firing their rocks but with less power and accuracy. A grim smile forming on his face, the Fire Lord broke into a sprint, using one of the rocks as a springbroad, flipping head over heels to land within feet of the earthbenders.

At such close range, the earthbenders were at a disadvantage, not able to use their bending to its fullest extent. Bringing his fist up, he took one of his opponents in the neck, quickly forcing him to his knees, his hands clutching his throat.

Wheeling, he spun to face to face his final opponent, only to find himself staring into the wavering eyes of a teenage boy.

"Son," Zuko said cautiously, "we don't have to do this. But down your hands and we can talk about this. Don't do anything that you'll regret."

The young man's eyes widened and his lower lip trembled, but when he spoke his voice came out low and hard, "You're not giving me a choice."

"You always have a choice," Zuko countered, slowly circling the man.

"You wouldn't understand," the earthbender responded coldly. "Everything has always come easy for you. You wouldn't know what it's like to struggle, to deal with what I've gone through."

Zuko wanted to sag in defeat—this boy was so deluded, his comments so far from the truth that he wanted to ring his hands in frustration.

Speaking in a controlled manner, Zuko eyed the young man warily, "I may not understand everything you've gone through, everything that has happened in your lifetime, but know that I understand your struggles. My life has been far from easy, but I can assure you it can get better if you give yourself the chance by making the right decisions. Please, I don't want to fight."

This time, the earthbender didn't even dignify the Fire Lord with a response, opting to punch his hands forward, firing twin pillars of rock from the ground in front of him at Zuko's midsection.

Sidestepping the attack easily, Zuko responded with a single, concentrated blast that caught the boy in the chest, slamming him to the ground ten feet from where he was standing.

Zuko shook his head sadly, another life thrown away for this mysterious cause.

Glancing up, he saw that the final earthbender had disposed of the one healthy soldier and was now standing over the downed lieutenant, a rock clenched menacingly in his fist.

Heedless of his own safety, Zuko began sprinting toward his man. Clenching his fists, he pointed them earthward, allowing his fire blasts to lift him off the ground, propelling forward at speeds faster than any man could run. But despite his best efforts, he knew he would be too late.

He felt his mouth open, a silent scream on his lips, as the earthbender's arm started downward. Surprisingly, just as he was about to release the stone, his wrist seemed to twist, bending backwards at an awkward angle, the tip of a small dagger poking out the backside of his hand.

The stone's path, however, was only altered slightly, grazing the lieutenant's ear before slamming into his shoulder, the flesh and bone crunching sickeningly beneath.

Screaming in rage and pain, the earthbender clutched his wrist protectively with his good hand as blood ran freely between his fingers and dripped down onto the dirt below.

Before he even looked up, Zuko was on top of him, his fist coming up under his jaw, clicking his teeth together sharply and jerking his head backwards. The Fire Lord followed this up with a knee to his chest, driving him to the ground. The man's head jerked back from the force of the blow, striking the ground with enough force to create an indentation in the hard earth. Zuko raised his fist for another blow, but it wasn't necessary—the earthbender was no longer a factor.

While Zuko had been busy below, Mai had had her work cut out for her with two nests of archers all doing their best to hit her currently distracted husband.

The first group of five had been relatively easy, if not grisly work. Mai much preferred hitting her targets from range, but she knew how to get her hands dirty if she needed to. From her secluded position she had been able to take out two of the archers from the cave across the ravine, but her early success had caused them to be more cautious, opting to dart out quickly and fire downward rather than staying in one position for an extended period of time.

Her first challenge, however, was to find a way to get from the first cave to the second without getting herself killed. She knew she couldn't ask Zuko to cover her with his bending because he was currently engaged in a fierce battle with one of the remaining earthbenders and the other soldiers were either dead or fighting for their lives as well.

Gritting her teeth, she decided that she would just have to do it the old fashioned way. Ducking out from behind a rock, she eyeballed the distance between her cave and the next opening that was further down the ravine. She studied the rocky sides, mentally marking the hand holds and ledges that would make such an endeavor possible.

She slunk back behind cover, willing her nerves to be calm, and slowed her breathing. She would only get one chance at this and she needed to get it right.

Springing into action, she flipped herself onto the side of the ravine, her feet dancing from ledge to ledge, hands barely wedging themselves into one crack before she forced them to move to another. Initially the archers seemed stunned, almost awed, by what they saw, but soon enough they realized what Mai was trying to do, and with a shout, began to unleash their arrows.

The Fire Lady hissed in frustration as the shafts whizzed past her face, hissing angrily. She was about two leaps from the next cave when an arrow grazed her calf, leaving a bloody furrow where previously unmarred flesh had once been.

Mai bit down hard on her lower lip, drawing blood—if she stopped moving now it would mean almost certain death.

Swinging herself around the edge of the cave, her feet made contact with the chin of the leading archer, driving him back into the wall, unconscious before he hit the floor. Before she had even landed, Mai was already in motion, her arms flashed out and two knives embedded themselves in the torso of another man.

The remaining soldiers didn't pause to consider their comrades' fate, but instead drew their own swords and attempted to corner the more agile Mai at one end of the cave. Retreating a step, Mai dodged a sword swipe, allowing her backward momentum to carry herself into a back handspring, her feet kicking up and knocking the sword out of the man's hand as it followed through.

By the time Mai had regained her footing, the man was stumbling backwards, a dumbfounded look on his face as he watched his sword clatter uselessly to the ground. He took another uncertain step backwards, and immediately his two remaining friends stepped forward, putting themselves between him and Mai, determined looks on their faces.

They glanced at each other, nodding once before moving in concert, one sword coming in high, the other low.

Mai reacted instantly, fighting her protesting calf muscle, she dove forward, under one blade and over the other. Her momentum carried her into the midsection of one of the soldiers, driving him to the ground. Grabbing one of her knives, she thrust it under his chin, twisting it once.

Not pausing to see its effect, she rolled backwards and stood up, only to find her arms pinioned to her body by the man she had previously disarmed. His breath came hot in her ears as she struggled, trying to kick out against her captor—but she was held tight.

The only other remaining soldier smiled menacingly, his face twisting into a wicked grin as he advanced confidently, his sword held firmly in his right hand.

Mai knew she had one chance if she was going to survive this encounter, and so, when the man stepped within range of her feet, she kicked out with her right foot, aiming for the man's sword hand.

Her foot made solid contact with the man's wrist, snapping it backwards as she followed through. She heard her captor grunt and his arms tighten around her body, but as he did, his friend, now unbalanced by Mai's kick, stumbled within range of her long legs. And, in one quick motion, Mai trapped his head between her thighs and gave one quick twist.

The sharp snap resounded throughout the cave and the soldier's eyes widened briefly before his body went limp, collapsing in an uncoordinated heap at her feet.

Almost immediately after he saw his friend fall, Mai felt her captor's arms slacken in disbelief and horror. Using this to her advantage, Mai dropped her elbow into the man's gut, forcing him to double over. As the man collapsed, the Fire Lady threw her other elbow backwards, connecting squarely with his chin, and with a sharp clack of his jaw the last man's eyes rolled up in his head and he slumped, defeated to the ground.

Frowning in disdain, Mai nudged the fallen man with her foot, and when she was content that he wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon, she crept to the edge of the cave, intending to plan her course of attack on the final cave, when her eyes widened in surprise. Across the ravine was no longer an angry nest of archers, but instead all she saw was an empty cave. Apparently they had abandoned their post, leaving their two dead comrades where they lay.

Shrugging, Mai watched her husband finish dispatching the last of the earthbenders with a shake of his head. Carefully, she picked her way down from her elevated perch, only to stop a few feet from Zuko with a single thought in her head: what about the children!?

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**Thanks for reading, please review!**

**~TH  
**


	28. The Spirits of Old

**Hey all, sorry for letting so much time pass between updates. I'm working 40+ hours a week and oftentimes I come home exhausted and simply find myself sitting down in front of the tv or with a book rather than writing. Anyway, I hope this chapter turns out to be worth the wait. Thanks, as always, to those of you that reviewed last chapter, I love hearing from you. Ok, enough with my ramblings and on to the story... =)**

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The Spirits of Old**

To say Sokka was pleased with himself would have been an understatement. In fact, he was so happy that he was practically bouncing from one foot to the other in anticipation. Honestly, he wasn't completely sure why he was so giddy, but he wasn't going to let that keep him from enjoying the moment.

It had all started after his conversation in the garden with Toph—when he had resolved to do something to cheer his friend up. Her seventeenth birthday happened to be in a few days, and he had decided to do a little something for her, while indulging in one of his favorite pastimes—shopping.

And so, he had gone into the bustling town of Gaoling with absolutely no idea what he was going to get his friend but with every intention of enjoying the process. On the first day he got relatively nothing done because he couldn't seem to pry himself away from the weapons shop he had found. He spent hours poring over their gleaming new swords only to reach the same conclusion he did every time he went looking for another blade—nothing would ever compare with his old space sword.

He was happy with the weapon he had now; the steel was of high-quality and the craftsmanship superb, but it didn't quite have the same balance, the same feel as his black sword had had. Maybe one day, he had mused; he would find something that was able to measure up. Somehow, though, he doubted it.

After about midday the shopkeeper had realized that Sokka had no intention of actually buying a new sword and stopped answering his questions. He generally only tolerated his presence because Sokka obviously had some knowledge and skill in the art of warfare and therefore his questions weren't completely inane. Regardless, he still kicked the young man out of his shop come closing time, telling him that he'd have to come back in the morning if he wanted to look some more.

Sokka awoke the next day determined to remain focused—after all, Toph's birthday was just two days away. However, his new-found resolve quickly faded when he passed a meat vendor that had set up shop right at the entrance to the market. So, after one extremely long detour and more than a couple fried moose-lion kabobs, Sokka was ready to start anew. The only question was where.

He had tried the clothing store but quickly dismissed it, it's not like Toph really cared about what she wore, or even thought about fancy clothes unless she was forced to—though, he had to admit, she did look pretty good when she was convinced to wear a dress.

Next, he passed a shop with brightly colored placards claiming to have the sweetest smelling, most amorous perfumes and colognes in the entire earth kingdom. Now, while Sokka thought their claims were a bit absurd, he considered himself a connoisseur and was intrigued by the tantalizing smells that emanated from within. And, when he was walking away from the shop not fifteen minutes later, the shopkeeper having thrown him out for "sampling" all the fragrances—he decided that Toph didn't need that stuff anyway. She smelled like the earth and that was the way he liked it.

On the third day, he decided that he actually needed to get Toph something seeing as how her birthday was fast approaching. Logically, or so he thought, he began the day at the jewelry store, concluding that the easiest, most time-efficient way of shopping would be to force himself not to leave the shop until he had bought something.

So for the next few hours he scanned row upon row of rings, necklaces, and earrings in an effort to try and find something that wasn't too intimate or girly, but something that Toph would actually wear and appreciate—sort of like the meteor bracelet he had given her so many years ago.

Just as he was browsing through yet another countertop, he stumbled upon a small collection of hairclips piled in one corner. He picked through a few of them, turning them over idly in his handwhen a thought struck him.

"Sir?" he called to the bored looking clerk behind the counter, "do you have any headbands?"

The man looked up irritably, annoyed at having been drawn from an apparently pleasant daydream, and pointed to the store's opposite corner.

"Thanks," Sokka smiled, and ambled over to look at the indicated display.

Seeing the hair clips had reminded him of an earlier comment he had made when they had first met Toph before this crazy adventure had even started—that he liked her hair better when it was down. And, in retrospect, he really did appreciate when she let it flow over her shoulders rather than simply throwing it on top of her head in a haphazard bun.

So, he reasoned, if he could—somehow—convince her to wear a headband that he picked out, she would have to wear her hair down, and that, he figured, would be a mutually beneficial outcome.

_Now_, he mused, _the challenge is finding something she would actually wear._

He flipped through stack after stack of hair clips, headbands, and even a few tiaras—though he had no idea why they were even there—before he finally settled on one. At first glance, it was rather plain—a simple silver band with three evenly spaced, pale green stones.

Initially, he had pictured something fancier, something that would make Toph stand out in the crowd, but instinctively he knew she wouldn't really want that. And so, without hesitation, he paid the rather irritated clerk and began to meander back to the Bei Fong residence.

He hadn't gotten far, however, when another shop caught his eye and he quickly ducked inside. And when he left an hour later, he figured that that decision, the one to go into this final store, was the best choice he had made all week—now he only hoped Toph would feel the same way.

* * *

The soft crunch of bare feet on gravel quickly snapped Sokka's thoughts back to the present, and when the blind earthbender finally appeared from inside the house, Sokka felt his giddy anticipation quickly be replaced by a cold ball of nerves that seemed to have lodged itself deep in the pit of his stomach. He hadn't felt this nervous since he had given his now infamous speech to the troops on the Day of Black Sun—and at least then he had understood why, now it was almost as if the feeling blind-sided him.

"Sokka?" Toph called, seeming a bit subdued, "what's going on? One minute you're bouncing up and down, the next your heart is beating so fast it's like it's going to burst."

"Well…" Sokka trailed off, feeling a bit foolish.

Toph merely raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So I knew you were feeling bad…you know…about your dad, and I know today's your birthday…so I kindofgotyouapresent," Sokka finished in a rush.

"You what?" Toph frowned.

Sokka sighed, he couldn't see any easy way out of this.

"I said I got you a present…for your birthday…because I figured you needed some cheering up."

For a moment, Toph didn't say anything, a seemingly stunned look on her face.

"You," she repeated slowly, "got me a present? For my birthday? I'm not sure what to say…no one has ever done that for me before—except for my parents of course."

Relieved that he hadn't been sent flying over one of the estate's walls, Sokka smiled, "you're not supposed to say anything, silly. You're supposed to open it."

But before Sokka could even hand Toph the present, and before she could hit him for calling her "silly," one of the servants came sprinting out of the house, her hands on her knees, her face flushed from the exertion.

"Lady Bei Fong," she gasped, "come quickly!"

"What is it?" Sokka cut in, seeing the pained look on the servant's face that Toph obviously missed.

"It's your father!" she exclaimed, ignoring him completely, "he's had seizure!"

Wordlessly, Sokka shoved Toph's present into his tunic—it would have to wait for another time—and followed the suddenly sprinting earthbender back into the house.

* * *

When Aang opened his eyes he knew he had passed over into the Spirit World. He found himself seated on an old tree stump overlooking a swamp that seemed to be slowly meandering its way through a grove of bamboo shoots that thickened not a hundred yards from where he was sitting.

Rising from his position, Aang stretched his legs, allowing his gaze to sweep across the ancient floodplain. Much to his embarrassment, the scene before him appeared foreign, as if his presence was intruding upon another's world—a world to which he didn't belong. He idly wondered if this feeling stemmed from his recent estrangement from the Spirit World, a division that was more the product of worry and travel than premeditated action. He sighed; Avatar Roku would not have been pleased.

Aang stretched before he leapt lightly down from the stump and began to pick his way through the bog, careful to avoid disturbing the water or making any unnecessary noise—not every Spirit liked the Avatar.

As he wandered, he felt his skin prickle and goosebumps raise on his arm. Something was not right.

Thinking back to his conversation with the guru, Aang knew he needed to speak to Avatar Kuruk, but he didn't know where to find him. He knew that the former avatar's wisdom resided within of him, but accessing that information was often more difficult than he would have liked.

And so, he decided to let the Spirit World guide him—after all, if he couldn't find the spirit of Avatar Kuruk here, then he truly wasn't he bridge between the two worlds that he was so often told he was.

Reaching forward, Aang slowly bent the taut stalks of bamboo out of his way and began to thread his way away from the open swamp. He allowed the stalks to snap back into place, their leaves rustling quietly.

After walking for about fifteen minutes, Aang came upon a small clearing, bordered by a few rocks and bisected by a brook that apparently had been diverted from the swamp's main body. More interestingly, however, was the dark skinned, goateed man that was sitting, eyes closed, on the edge of the bank. He was thickly garbed in an azure parka and his head was adorned with white wolf skin. In life, Aang knew him to be a ferocious warrior and a loyal friend, in death, however, he wasn't sure what to expect.

The former avatar didn't acknowledge Aang as he entered the clearing, seeming content to allow him to wait until he was ready. Aang stood at a respectful distance, silent, not wanting to upset his spiritual predecessor.

"Avatar Aang," Kuruk said slowly, not opening his eyes, "you were looking for me."

It was clearly a statement, not a question.

"I was, Avatar Kuruk," Aang acknowledged, bowing slightly at the waist. "I was wondering if you could help me."

Kuruk, finally opening his eyes and raising his gaze to meet Aang's, regarded him skeptically. "Help you how?"

"Well," Aang began slowly, not quite sure where to begin, "strange things have been going on in my world. Events have taken place that I have not been able to explain, let alone control. And recently, I met this guru—he was the one who told me to come and speak with you. He told me you could help me."

Kuruk nodded once, "I may be able to, but first, tell me what I do not know. Explain to me these strange events, these things that confuse you."

And so, Aang began to tell his tale, withholding nothing from the former avatar. It felt good to be able to put the story into words, to put a voice to his fears and concerns without worrying who would overhear him or what they would think. When he finished, Avatar Kuruk's face had darkened, his brow furled in obvious consternation. It was some time before he spoke again.

"The guru is wise to say that things are not as they should be here in this world. There is an undercurrent of darkness—a sense of foreboding that seems to pervade even the peacefulness of this sanctuary. And there have been whispers—whispers that the Spirits of Old have convened once again."

"The Spirits of Old?" Aang asked, frowning.

"The Spirits of Old are the most ancient spirits—those that were present near the creation of this world. There are rumored to be ten of them left, but their identities and actions have always been shrouded in mystery. I would presume that Tui, La, and…" Kuruk trailed off for a moment, his jaw tightening, "and Koh are among their number, but as for the others, "he shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine."

"But what do they do?" Aang pressed.

"They deal with the state of our world," Kuruk explained. "They are responsible for the relationships between the Spirits. The last time they convened was a month before your victory over Fire Lord Ozai, but aside from that, they have not met for hundreds of years. For them to assemble again after such a short time is a very grave omen indeed."

"But what does this have to do with me?" Aang exclaimed, "how am I going to stop this madman and save Katara?"

"One question at a time, young one," Kuruk nodded, smiling slightly. "You remind me a bit of myself at your age—young, brash, and often acting without thinking."

"But I don't—" Aang protested.

"You do," Kuruk stated, interrupting Aang's rebuttal, "but that is more of a fault of your age than anything else. You have proven your wisdom over the years and you are far wiser than I was at your age, but now I ask that you listen to me. Listen without prejudice, listen without speaking. Allow me to grant you the wisdom my years have afforded me."

Aang closed his eyes slowly, allowing his mind to clear before opening them once again and nodding to Kuruk.

"Very good. Now, to answer your first question, the happenings in the Spirit World always pertain to the avatar because you are the bridge between the two worlds—you are destined to be a part of both until your physical body passes away. The restlessness that you felt when you first arrived here has been slowly building and I have been monitoring it from afar—that is what you saw me doing when you entered this clearing."

Kuruk paused for a moment, running his fingers back over the wolf skin, "As much as it pains me to admit this, I have come to a single conclusion: that this is the work of Koh."

Aang's eyes instantly widened in surprise, and he was opening his mouth to speak when he was silenced by a sharp gesture from Kuruk,

"Koh is an ancient spirit as you know. His knowledge is rivaled by few, and his grasp of the world surpassed by none, except perhaps Wan Shi Tong. But, what Koh possesses that few other spirits do is cunning. And this…this is a lesson that I was forced to learn at such a young age.

Before you ask, I do not have proof—Koh is much too smart to allow any indication of his dealings to be seen by me. My conclusion comes from my knowledge of Koh himself. He is a malevolent being; uncaring and amoral in the extreme, but the one thing that he holds above all else is ambition."

Kuruk's eyes flashed once again to Aang's, "he hordes his power, his knowledge, giving only when he sees a future benefit for himself. I'm afraid that he continues to hold a grudge against the avatar because of my actions—actions that I do not regret, but hold a consequence for you nonetheless…"

"Because of Ummi?" Aang asked, finally able to get a word in as Kuruk trailed off.

The former avatar's voice hardened, "yes, because of Ummi. Because he stole my betrothed from me. Because I have tried—and will continue to try—to defeat him and bring her back."

"But what of the other Spirits of Old? Do they not suspect him?" Aang tried.

Kuruk shrugged, "they may, but they have been blinded by the years, they no longer have Koh's desire for power. They no longer see their actions as having consequences in the mortal world. And as for your world," Kuruk shook his head, "I cannot presume to know exactly what goes on, but allow me this. Koh's actions here will undoubtedly spill over to you. I do not know…he may desire to enter the mortal world or possibly something more. Regardless, you must do everything in your power to stop him, because if you don't, I'm afraid the consequences will be unimaginable."

Kuruk paused for a moment, allowing the information to sink in.

"And Katara?" Aang inquired.

Seeing the young man's distress, Kuruk rose from his seated position, his broad shoulders surpassing Aang's easily. Taking both his hands, he placed them gently on either side of Aang's face, tilting his head up to face his. With fatherly compassion, he implored the avatar,

"Do whatever it takes to save her, but do not forget your duties as the avatar. Do not make the mistake I did and you will not be forced to live with the regret. But now," he smiled slowly, "our time together draws to a close and I must ask you something."

"What is it?" Aang frowned, not knowing what help he could be to a spirit.

"If Koh is indeed behind this and if you are to face him, do not do it alone. Allow me to help."

Aang's eyebrows immediately shot skyward, "But how…?"

Kuruk cut him off with another smile, "at the time, you will know. But now you must return. The guru is waiting for you, as is Katara. Remember my wisdom Aang, follow your heart and listen to your friends—they have not failed you in the past and will not in the future."

Reluctantly, Aang drew back as Kuruk smiled and a gentle breeze seemed to suddenly wash over him. The edges of the former avatar's body began to blur, growing fainter and fainter until, with a final smile, he was swept off into the distance, leaving Aang alone with his thoughts.

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**Thanks for reading! Please review, if you're an author then you know how much they're appreciated and a definite encouragement. Well, that's all I got for now. I've already started on the next chapter so hopefully that'll be up soon. **

**Until my next update,**

**~TH  
**


	29. Through the Veil

**Hey all, thanks for being patient with this chapter. It's my longest chapter yet and editing it took a bit of time--especially because I had to move back to school this past week. Anyway, I know you may think I'm a broken record, but I really don't want to take this long between updates, so I intend for the next one to be up soon.**

**Thanks to those of you that reviewed last time--it means a lot.**

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**Through the Veil**

"Hey!" Zuko shouted, hefting a bucket of water, "wake up! You weren't hit that hard!"

The seated figure remained motionless, oblivious to Zuko's request. Sighing, the Fire Lord flung the contents of the bucket into the unconscious man's face and had the satisfaction of seeing his eyes flash open, squinting into the light.

"Good," Zuko muttered as the bound man began to spit some of the water from his mouth, "you're awake."

Kotoru let out a soft groan, slumping over slightly and staring at the ground, his tattooed head glistening in the harsh sunlight.

"Look at me," Zuko ordered, prodding him with his foot. He wasn't in the mood to deal with stubborn prisoners and Mai, who was pacing impatiently behind him, wasn't making it any easier to concentrate.

Kotoru, however, remained impassive, his eyes fixed on the ground about six inches in front of his feet.

_Thump._

A silver shuriken suddenly sprouted a few inches from the inside of Kotoru's thigh.

"Look at him," Mai's steely voice said from over his shoulder, "or the next one doesn't miss."

Zuko had the satisfaction of seeing Kotoru visibly pale as he slowly lifted his head to meet his gaze.

"Where's Azula?" Zuko demanded.

Kotoru shrugged, his gaze wavering slightly.

"Where is she?" Zuko repeated, his voice growing insistent.

"Don't know, don't care," his prisoner deadpanned. "She's not my responsibility."

"But you fight for her!" Zuko exclaimed.

"No, I fight for our cause," Kotoru snapped, "not for that stuck up, arrogant brat that calls herself a princess! If I had to be around her for another week I think I would've just killed her myself!"

Despite himself, Zuko still bristled at the thought of someone killing his sister.

"But what were you doing?" He asked, deciding to ignore the previous outburst.

"Following orders."

"From who!?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kotoru sneered, his demeanor unyielding before his body was suddenly overtaken by a wracking cough. When he finished, Zuko saw blood on his lips.

"We can help you," he insisted, "just tell us who sent you here."

Kotoru seemed to shudder for a moment, his eyes clouding in the afternoon sun, before his mouth contorted itself into a twisted grin, "I'm already dead. There's nothing you can do to change that…and I'm not going to tell you anything."

Zuko opened his mouth once more when he was cut off by his wife's cold voice,

"Where are the children?"

"The children?" Kotoru repeated, feigning indifference, "haven't a clue. Haven't seen them since that Lee kid ran off."

"But you know something?" Mai continued.

"Perhaps…"

Slowly, Mai approached the seated man, her eyes never leaving his. She allowed a predatory grin to reach her face when she a shuriken slipped into her hand.

"You may already be dead, but there are…certain…ways of slowing down the process."

Zuko gaped openly at his wife. He knew she was bluffing, but there was a certain seriousness, a gravity, to her threat that he had not heard before.

Kotoru obviously sensed it too, the blood immediately draining from his face. His expression seemed to waver between indifference and outright fear.

Mai said nothing, her eyes never leaving his.

Finally, he opened his mouth to speak, "I don't know why she took them, but I might know where."

The man looked up expectantly, as if this simple statement would earn him a reprieve. Instead, he was met with a stony silence. He gulped and continued, "Before we left to come here—before we had the children—Azula gave me something…something she said I should hold on to and use later. It's—"

Before he could finish his sentence, his body convulsed, and his muscles became taunt and rigid, seeming to fight against themselves. Mai and Zuko looked on in horror as Kotoru's body thrashed uncontrollably.

"Do something!" Mai hissed.

Zuko regarded Kotoru warily, unsure what to make of this sudden seizure.

"He's going to kill himself!" Mai exclaimed once more as Kotoru's meaty fists began to claw at his own eyes. "We need to help him!"

Throwing caution to the wind, Zuko heeded his wife's advice and threw himself on top of the thrashing man.

Normally Kotoru would have been able to throw Zuko off with a practiced ease, but in his current, distracted state, he didn't appear to even notice the Fire Lord. Grasping his wrists, Zuko tried to force them away from his face, but Kotoru was too strong.

"Relax!" he cried, "I'm trying to help you!"

Heedless of the Fire Lord's pleas, the large man continued to struggle, rolling over the rocky ground, cutting his exposed flesh on the sharp rocks.

In his effort to control Kotoru, Zuko felt his knee slip, slamming forcefully into the man's injured stomach. He heard a small gasp escape Kotoru's lips and his strength weaken as the pain overrode whatever was possessing him.

Taking advantage of this momentary reprieve, Zuko wrenched Kotoru's hands away from his eyes, gasping at what he saw below.

Kotoru's face was covered with long red furrows from his own frantic attempts to rid himself of whatever seemed to be inside his head. His forehead was speckled with sweat and blood, his whole body heaving from exertion.

This, however, was not what concerned Zuko most. Kotoru's eyes, the small, beady orbs that often belied his intelligence, were no longer there. His pupils seemed to have disappeared, leaving a thin white film in their place.

His eyes were not merely milky like Toph's, but it was as if a scale had fallen over them, as if a window had slammed shut and something was preventing the true Kotoru from getting through.

But before Zuko could even open his mouth to speak, a strange hissing filled the air,

"_You meddle with powers greater than you know, Fire Lord."_

The voice appeared to be coming from Kotoru's own mouth though his lips remained motionless.

Zuko drew back in shock, "What was that? What kind of sorcery is this!?"

The voice paused for a moment; the short breaths coming from Kotoru's mouth seemingly conveyed its mirth,

"_This is no trick and I am no lie. There are things in this world that even you cannot fathom—things that are better left alone if you want to survive."_

"But what do you want!? What did you do to this man!?"

"_I've told you what I want," _the voice breathed, _"as for Kotoru, he was merely an instrument. He will not be long for this world when I finally leave him."_

"Leave him?" Zuko asked.

"_Yes, but first, I must finish my work."_

And as suddenly as it had stopped, Kotoru's body seized once more.

"Kotoru!" Zuko shouted, grabbing the man's wrists again, "snap out of it! Stop fighting me!"

If anything, the man's fervor seemed to grow, his actions becoming more and more violent. And, just when Zuko was beginning to think that all was lost, he heard Kotoru gasp,

"Three hundred paces west…five hundred north…three feet down…" his voice cut off and he screamed in pain. Writhing on the ground once more, he twisted against the demon, his head snapping back against the rocks. Zuko saw his eyes flash open, his agony clearly written on his face, the shadow of a pupil barely visible below his eye's surface, "you must find it…use it…"

And at once, everything was still. Kotoru's body stopped moving, his muscles relaxing in a heartbeat. All Zuko could hear was the ragged sound of his own breathing and his pulse pounding in his ears.

"Is he…?" he heard Mai murmur from behind him.

"_Dead." _The voice hissed to life once more. _"Remember my warning Fire Lord. If we meet again it will not be so…enjoyable."_

And Zuko and Mai watched in horror as Kotoru's body seemed to sag, an inky black shadow flowing from his pours until it created a dark halo around his corpse. The shadow hovered for a moment, mocking them both, before it finally faded into the ground, leaving nothing behind.

* * *

_Katara watched them. She watched them crawl under the door, over her discarded bread crusts, and between the cracks in the stone._

_They mesmerized her._

_She envied their strength, as they carried away crumbs larger than themselves, and their fortitude, as they eked out an existence in this miserable environment. However, what Katara envied most of all was their unity, their family._

_They never went anywhere without each other, and when one was lost, it seemed another would soon appear right beside it, helping it find its way home. There may have been ten of them or a hundred, but it didn't matter—they had each other._

_On her better days she let them crawl over her pale toes, their dark bodies almost invisible against her chipped and dirty nails. Other times, she simply ignored them. They were a constant reminder of things she didn't have. _

_Once, in a fit of jealousy and rage, she had stepped on one of them, squishing its small body down between the stones in the floor of her cell until it was no more. Almost immediately, she had regretted her actions, her eyes welling up with tears as she cried for her lost companion._

_The guards outside her door had not understood, they had laughed at her, telling her that she was going crazy. _

_They had said it was only an ant._

_But they had not understood. They had friends, companions. She had none._

_They teased her mercilessly, telling her that the avatar had forgotten about her, that he wasn't ever going to come—that she was lucky to be alive._

_And perhaps they were right. Perhaps he had forgotten. _

_Or maybe he was like one of the ants, crawling over seemingly insurmountable obstacles to get to her—braving unseen dangers in his quest to claim her._

_Katara liked to think that he was like an ant. She hoped he was, because she was getting tired of waiting. Very tired indeed._

_For the time being she was content with watching her little friends silently trundle up and down her calves, oblivious to her predicament, but a comfort nonetheless._

* * *

The following week had been one of the worst weeks of Sokka's life. When Toph and he had heard the servant's message they had both sprinted into the estate, desperate to see Toph's father, but arriving only to find his room full of tense, agitated healers. They worked feverishly into the night, constantly changing his bandages, keeping a cool cloth draped over his face, but nothing seemed to work.

They had explained the next morning that he was unconscious and resting fitfully. The odds of him waking up were slim. At this prognosis, Toph's mother had burst uncontrollably into tears and had to be led away so that she could recover.

Sokka could still remember standing there against the back wall, feeling so helpless—so useless. When he finally turned to see Toph, he expected her face to be streaked with tears as well; instead it was an unfeeling, stoic mask.

"_Toph?"_ He remembered asking her, "_are you alright?"_

She had ignored his question and wheeled to follow her mother down the hall. As he watched her go, one of the healers came out of Lao's room and Sokka met his eyes, silently raising the question he knew everyone wanted to ask. The healer's eyes softened sympathetically and he shook his head briefly. Nothing had changed and the forecast was doubtful.

For the next two days Lao remained motionless in his bed, the only sign that he was still alive was the gentle rise and fall of his chest. Sokka didn't see Toph except for briefly around meal times. She never said anything, never acknowledged that he was even there. Sokka had even tried to strike up a conversation once or twice but he was pointedly ignored. He couldn't help but wonder if he had done something wrong.

On the fourth day, their problems came to a head. The healers had interrupted the morning meal with a frantic exclamation—Lao was awake. As everyone rushed to the room, their meals quickly forgotten, Sokka hoped that everyone's excitement was not in vain. He knew that he was not the most optimistic person in the world and he did truly hope that Lao was getting better, but something told him to temper his expectations. He had tried to gently tell Toph to be careful, but she had brushed him off and flown into the room without so much as a backward glance.

When Sokka himself finally stepped into the room, he immediately knew his fears were not unfounded—if anything, Lao looked worse than at the start of their visit. His face was sunken and sallow, his skin barely clinging to his face. When he raised his now skeletal hands, Sokka saw sweat break out on his forehead as if such a small movement required a great effort. He spoke softly, his voice halting and dry, his eyes never leaving the ceiling above him. All in all, were it not for his shuddering, raspy breaths, Sokka would have thought he was dead.

So Sokka had stood there against the wall, an unnecessary ornament, but one that refused to leave nonetheless. He wanted to be there in case he was needed—he wanted to be there for Toph.

He did not intrude on their quiet conversation, tears flowing freely down Lady Bei Fong's carefully made-up face, her eyes smudged and hands trembling. Toph's eyes were damp as she spoke softly in tones that Sokka had never heard her utter.

It was a bit strange seeing them so close after all these years. He knew some of it was because of the situation Lao's illness created, but other bits spoke of something deeper—as if some understanding had been reached after all these years. A soft smile touched his face when he saw Toph feel along her father's leg until she found his hand, carefully intertwining her fingers with his.

He knew that if he ever mentioned this particular act of affection to anyone he would be in serious trouble and she would vehemently deny it, but it was somewhat comforting to know she was capable nevertheless. And in this quiet moment he had allowed himself to forget the gravity of the situation—the reality of what lay before him. He had hoped.

Five minutes later, he was sorry.

In those five minutes Lao had relapsed into another seizure, this fit even greater, more violent than the last. His body shook, his muscles twitching and shaking, and Sokka shuddered to think what it must have been like for Toph to have felt these vibrations—to have felt a body in such discord with nature.

The healers had rushed in, carefully moving the worried family aside. They had set to work immediately, their voices rising to a feverish pitch. They had tried everything, and when they couldn't think of anything else, they tried the same treatment again. It was fruitless, hopeless, but necessary.

When his body finally stopped moving, his eyes closed and muscles calm, Toph's mother finally broke the prolonged silence,

"_Is he going to be alright?" she'd asked tremulously._

Sokka didn't have the heart to contradict her and he should have—he took the coward's way out. Instead, he let Toph speak,

"_No mom," she had said, her voice strangely firm, "he's gone."_

And it had been with those words that Toph had flown from the room. Sokka had tried to say something and had even managed to put a hand on her shoulder when she whirled on him, her face alight with a sickening combination of anger and grief. She had swatted his hand away and stormed from the room. Meanwhile, Poppy's mouth had finally caught up with her mind, and she broke down immediately, a flower wilting under the summer sun's piercing rays. Sokka watched the healers carefully lead her to nearby chair and try to settle her down, bringing her some water and a damp towel.

For the next few moments Sokka merely watched, uncertain and unmoving. Finally, he seemed to find himself and, seeing that there was nothing more for him to do, he quietly slipped from the room and found his way back to his bed. He lay on the mattress, staring blankly up at the ceiling, his body limp with grief.

That afternoon he had decided that he needed to speak with his friend, regardless of whether or not she wanted his company. He had made it down the hallway and was about to knock on her door when a tired, bedraggled Aang burst into view spouting some nonsense about the guards not wanting to let him into the estate.

In a breath, he had explained everything that had happened on his journey to the Eastern Air Temple—the Yu Yan archers, the guru, and the Spirit World. He said that he had even received another letter and that this time they were all going to the Northern Water Tribe.

After he had revealed this particular bit of information he had looked at Sokka expectantly, as if this news would cheer him up. As if seeing snow and being reminded of Yue would help him at a time like this.

And so, in pained, measured tones, Sokka had begun to explain to the avatar the events that had transpired in his absence. When he reached the part where Toph's father had his second seizure, he saw understanding finally flicker in Aang's cool, gray eyes. He opened his mouth, about to speak, when Toph burst from her room. Apparently she had been listening at the doorway the whole time.

"_We're leaving," she had commanded. _

_When no one moved, she repeated her demand, this time adding, "Let's go! If we leave now we can put in a few hours of travel before having to set up camp for the night. The sooner we get this last…whatever it is…the sooner we'll be able to find Katara."_

_Aang looked torn, uncertain._

"_Toph…," Sokka sighed, clearly conflicted about wanting to speed up the search for his sister and yet concerned for his friend, "we don't need to leave this instant. We can wait a day or two…you know…for the funeral."_

_At the mention of the funeral, Toph's eyes had flashed, her brow furrowed in anger, "Why should the funeral matter!? My father's dead, Katara isn't! Staying for the funeral is just a waste of time! Why should I care whether I'm here when they put his body in the ground!? It's not like I can even see him!"_

"_But it's your father…" Sokka said softly, a bit taken aback by Toph's outburst, "you should be here."_

_Aang gulped, but nodded, impressing Sokka with his maturity. "We'll wait Toph, I'm sure Katara would want us to wait."_

"_NO!" She had exclaimed, "I want to leave now! There's…there's no need to stay."_

_And with that rather fragile pronouncement, she had darted back into her room, the sound of drawers opening and clothes being flung into her traveling bag emanated from within._

"_Toph," Sokka called, "we're staying. There's no need to pack now. We'll leave as soon as the funeral is over."_

"_Oh yeah!?" Toph's head had appeared in the doorway, her blind eyes sparkling defiantly._

"_And not a moment sooner," Sokka finished, crossing his arms._

"_Yeah Toph," Aang had echoed, "we're staying."_

_The blind earthbender shifted on her feet for a few moments as if contemplating whether or not to simply bend them onto Appa's back herself and take off herself._

"_Fine," she snapped, slamming the door shut behind her, leaving her two friends standing, bewildered, in her doorway._

_When Toph was gone, Aang opened his mouth as if to protest but Sokka swiftly cut him off. They were staying and that was final._

The following two days had passed in relative silence, everyone picking up on the somber mood that had settled onto the estate. Sokka didn't see Toph once, though he thought he might have caught a glimpse of her ebony hair as it whipped around a corner when he came into view. Aang, meanwhile, had resorted to a nervous pacing as if he couldn't stand being in one place for too long. Sokka had snapped at him a couple times, earning a dirty look from the usually unflappable avatar as he swept from the room.

Finally, mercifully, the day of the funeral came.

It was not, as his subconscious seemed to suggest it would be, a dreary, rainy day. The sun was shining brightly, the garden was in bloom, and the birds were chirping animatedly from the trees. A small gathering of assorted relatives, neighbors, and businessmen dotted the lawn and milled about, varying levels of nervousness and grief evident in their forced laughter and overzealous exclamations.

The ceremony had begun quietly as Poppy and a few of the family's closest friends had stood up and talked about Lao's life. They spoke in hushed tones, explaining his prowess within his business and his strict adherence to the lifestyle of the privileged, upper class.

It became clear to Sokka after the second speaker had sat down that Lao had led a life of isolation. He had obviously been a shrewd businessman and very successful in what he did, but after that he only seemed to do the social minimum. He was not active in the community and very few people referenced meeting him at something other than a preplanned event or function. Almost no one _actually_ knew the real him.

And so, when Toph finally made her way to the front, her dark green dress waving gently in the breeze, Sokka couldn't help but sit forward in his seat. He wanted to hear what she was going to say, he wanted to hear the story from Lao's only daughter.

"My father," Toph began without preamble, "was a good man. Hard, but good. I won't patronize you by trying to tell you that I was a perfect little girl—I know I was far from that. And being blind, I was always kept to the house, spending time with our family's servants and staff.

From the beginning, my father and I often butted heads. I wanted more freedom, to see the world as best I could, while he wanted me home where he could keep an eye on me. I knew then, as I know now, that he had my best interests at heart and that he truly cared, but as is often the case with children, we think we know better than our parents. So, when the avatar and his friends came, I took a chance and left, defying my father's wishes. I won't say there weren't times when I regretted running away, when I missed being home in my soft bed rather than sleeping on the hard ground somewhere behind enemy lines, but I knew my decision was the right one—and eventually, I think my father did too.

When I finally did come back, tired, bedraggled, but victorious, there was no mistaking the joy, the pride in his voice. I knew my leaving cost him a lot, but in the end, I think things turned out for the better between us.

I won't lie and tell you that we didn't fight—we both had to make some concessions. Father wanted me to settle down and get married right away, but I wasn't ready."

At this the crowd stirred a bit and Sokka could hear a few comments being whispered amongst the listeners. Resisting the urge to turn around and glare at the offenders, Sokka settled back into his seat and continued to listen attentively.

"But I don't want to leave you all with the impression that I didn't love my father—I loved him dearly and with all my heart. Despite our differences, I wouldn't have asked for another father, or a better dad. He always had my best interests at heart and truly took good care of our family." Toph paused for a moment, discreetly wiping her eyes with the sleeve of her dress before squaring her shoulders and finishing, "I would ask you all to remember him as he would have wanted it—as a family man first, then as a business man. He left behind the legacy of the Bei Fong name, a name that I will be proud to carry for the rest of my life. Thank you."

And with as much grace as she had walked onto the stage, Toph glided off it. There was no applause, but a soft ripple of approval from the audience. Poppy came up beside the stage and joined her daughter, her hands clasped in front of her.

Toph reached out and squeezed her hand, and after a moment, Poppy stepped back from the casket. Then, with two quick stabs of her hands, Toph softly slid her father's body under the earth. Pausing for a moment, she gathered herself again and bent an understated, gray rock on top of the freshly turned earth to act as a headstone.

Leaning over to Aang, Sokka, his voice heavily laden, said, "A daughter should never have to bury her father."

Aang nodded mutely, clearly moved by the entire spectacle.

The ceremony ended five minutes later and Sokka pushed his way through the crowd to Toph. She looked smaller than ever, her small body shaking silently with suppressed tears. Placing a hand gently on her shoulder, Sokka was shocked when she immediately buried her head in his chest, the grief finally taking its toll.

Standing there in amongst the milling crowd with one arm around her waist and the other awkwardly stroking her hair, Sokka knew he would be willing to do whatever it took to keep her safe—to have this never happen again. It wasn't some shocking revelation or eye-opening experience but more of an acknowledgment of what was always there. What the next step or course of action was he wasn't sure, but he knew that he wanted Toph to be intricately—and perhaps intimately—involved in his future.

"Sokka?" Toph's soft voice broke, stirring Sokka from his revere.

"Hmmm?"

"Can we go now?"

"Yes Toph," Sokka said, squeezing her gently, "we can."

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**Yes, Katara is going a little crazy =) Please review!**


	30. Hide and Seek

**Hey guys, hope all's going well with you. Thanks to everyone who keeps reading (and reviewing). Sorry for the delay but unfortunately college doesn't necessarily allow for a lot of extra writing time. I will try to get the next chapter out a bit sooner. =)**

**Enjoy!

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**Hide and Seek**

"What was that thing?" Mai asked. "I've never seen anything like it."

"As I said earlier, I don't know," the Fire Lord snapped, wiping the sweat from his brow. Frankly, he didn't want to talk about what he had just seen let alone discuss it. He knew there were unknowns in the world—things he didn't understand—but the idea that something could possess another human and bend him to its will…well that made him shudder. No being should ever be able to control that much power.

"Can we just focus on following Kotoru's instructions?" he added after the prolonged silence.

"We have been," Mai shot back, tired of her husband's attitude. "But first we had to get out of the ravine because your men couldn't scale the sides—"

"Because they were injured!" Zuko exclaimed. "What would you have had me do?"

"Send for the rest of your troops," Mai reasoned, "or at least contact your Uncle. We need to tell someone what we've discovered because we obviously have no idea who or what we're dealing with."

"Not yet," Zuko ground out, "let's find whatever it is Kotoru wanted us to find and then I'll think about talking to Uncle."

"And what if it's _another_ trap," Mai snapped, "did you ever think of that? Then what are you going to do?"

Zuko rolled his eyes, looking for something to distract him from his current conversation with his wife. Turning around, he saw their lone lizard-mount slowly meandering behind them, the lieutenant—who had refused to return to Plains Village for medical attention—was wobbling dangerously in the saddle, the remaining healthy soldier sitting behind him, keeping him upright.

"How're you holding up back there, lieutenant?" Zuko called.

The injured man tried to straighten, fighting back a grimace before he spoke, "Fine sir, what do you need?"

Zuko almost laughed aloud, "I don't need anything soldier. I just wanted to see how you're doing."

"I'm fine sir," the man repeated, "don't worry about me, I can manage."

"But I do worry," Zuko said, his brow furrowing, "and I care about you. I'm ordering you to be honest with me—if you're too hurt to continue I need to know. I won't put your life, or the lives of any of my men, above my own. Now I'm going to ask you again, how are you feeling?"

The lieutenant tried to shrug, but the motion came off as forced instead of cavalier like he intended, "My shoulder is sore, my chest is bruised, and it hurts to breathe. It looks like your standing directly in front of me but your voice is coming from my right—other than that, everything is fine."

This time Zuko chuckled audibly, "Got it lieutenant, thanks."

The small group continued on in silence for another five minutes before Mai spoke once more,

"Do you think that's it up ahead?"

Zuko glanced up and frowned. Ahead of them was an unimpressive formation of rocks barely obstructing their view of the horizon.

"Well, we've got what, fifty paces to go?" Zuko asked, glancing at Mai briefly for confirmation, "Yeah that looks about right; let's go check it out— carefully."

Heeding his own advice, he signaled for the two soldiers to remain behind while Mai and he scouted the area ahead. It didn't take long for the both of them to realize that the area was in fact, deserted.

"Alright," Zuko said to the group once the soldiers had joined him, "let's take a look around. Maybe there's something around here that can give us an idea of what Kotoru was talking about. Let Mai or myself know if you find something—we don't want any more surprises."

After thirty minutes of searching Zuko had been about ready to give up, almost willing to chalk Kotoru's suggestion up as a mad delusion, when, ironically, it was the lieutenant who hollered from the other side of the formation.

"Sir, over here! There are some markings on this rock!"

Immediately, Mai, Zuko, and the other soldier rushed over, eager to see what he had found. And, sure enough, right along the bottom of the rock where it met the sand, was a crudely drawn, but clearly evident, black centipede.

"Do you think this is what he was talking about sir?" The lieutenant asked, taking a moment to lean against the rock and rest.

Zuko shrugged, "we haven't found anything else that even looks remotely promising. I'd think this would have to be it."

"So how are we going to get at whatever it is?" The other soldier asked, wiping some sweat from his brow, "three feet is pretty far down."

Mai snorted, "how do you think? We dig."

Groaning, the two able-bodied men made their way back to the packs that were strapped to the side of the lizard-mount. Pulling out a pair of bowls that he had been planning to use for dinner that night, Zuko smiled sheepishly before tossing one to the soldier,

"We've got nothing else to dig with. Looks like we won't be eating from these tonight."

The man looked like he wanted to protest, but he settled for rolling his eyes at the Fire Lord before turning to begin what was clearly going to be an all day affair.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Mai scowled when her husband turned to head over to the stone as well.

Zuko frowned, "Am I?"

"You don't think I'm going to just sit here and watch while you two work, do you?"

Despite the implied threat, the corner of Zuko's mouth still twitched skyward, "We can take turns. I'll let you know if I get tired."

Mai shook her head, "And they said chivalry was dead." And with that she followed after her husband, ready to step in the moment she got tired of watching.

* * *

About three hours later, they were done…or at least they thought they were. Through the combined efforts of Zuko, the able-bodied soldier, and Mai, they had been able to dig down through the packed sand and dirt and unearth a rather rusted, chipped metal box.

The box looked like it had seen its better days, haphazardly thrown together and then dumped into a hole before being covered with sand and dirt and left to rust.

"Well," Zuko sighed, "let's see what's inside."

And with that, he motioned to the soldier who levered himself into the hole and hoisted the box out. The box was rather small and could be lifted easily, its contents only shifting slightly as it moved. Once it had been lifted free of its hiding place, the group gathered around eagerly.

Holding it up in the late afternoon sun, the Fire Lord was dismayed to see that the hinges of the box had been melted off and the latch in the front was a nonexistent lump of metal as well.

"Someone obviously doesn't want us to get inside," Zuko said, "hopefully that's a good sign."

Mai snorted, taking the box from her husband and examining it from all angles. Running her fingers along one of the melted seams, she carefully took one of her small daggers from her belt and ran the blade under the scoring. With her practiced hand she was able to wedge it under a small crack and slowly work it around the sides, prying the cover from the box.

"What's inside?" Zuko asked eagerly, trying to peer over his wife's shoulder.

"Patience," Mai muttered, carefully removing the lid to avoid cutting her hands on the sharp edges.

After the lid had been tossed unceremoniously to the ground, she reached inside,

"Aaah!" she exclaimed, dropping the box and shaking her hand rapidly, "cold!"

"Are you alright!?" Zuko said immediately, regarding the box warily as he examined his wife's hand.

Much to his dismay, the pads of Mai's fingers were all red, the skin hanging ragged, leaving her hand badly exposed to the open air. Tearing off a piece of his tunic, he gently wrapped her hand in the cloth, trying not wince when she hissed every time he touched the exposed skin. When he was finally done, he looked up at his wife,

"So what happened?"

Trying not to wince, Mai shrugged, "I don't exactly. When I reached my hand inside, whatever it was freezing, so cold that when I took my hand away it tore the skin right off—whatever it was intentionally kept in that box because it wasn't meant to be touched…I'm surprised that metal box wasn't cold too, perhaps something was done to protect it against the cold."

Zuko nodded, going over to the box he prodded it with his foot. Nothing felt amiss. Leaning down, he peered inside.

Lying rather innocuously in the bed of the box was a crude, rusted, skeleton key. It would have appeared by all standards to be rather ordinary were it not for the now familiar centipede wrapped around its handle and stretching down to the teeth. Slowly, he lowered his hand until it was inches above the key's surface, and sure enough, he could feel the cold emanating from it. It made him shiver even at a distance.

"Well we're obviously not going to be picking this up any time soon," Zuko mused aloud, "we'll have to take the box."

Mai nodded, still favoring her right hand. Carefully, Zuko bent down and placed the discarded lid back on top of the box, wrapping the entire thing in a blanket from their pack on the lizard-mount, and placed it in his satchel.

"So what now?" the lieutenant asked, levering himself off the rock on which he had been resting.

"Now?" Zuko muttered, "I guess we head back to Plains Village and tell them we failed—that we couldn't find the children. Then I suppose we're just going to follow that map."

"We're just going to leave them?" he frowned, seemingly bewildered.

"Oh no," Mai's voice cut through the silence like a knife through butter, "we're going to find them, and when we do…there'll be hell to pay."

And, not looking back she strode off into the distance, leaving the rest of the group struggling in her wake.

* * *

"Sokka," Aang called over his shoulder from his perch atop Appa's head, his eyes lingering briefly on Toph's unmoving form, "we'll be there in about fifteen minutes."

Sokka nodded once, the unspoken question passed easily between them. Mentally bracing himself, he turned to Toph. Her eyes were closed and head gently pillowed on her hands—for all intents and purposes she might have been sleeping, but he knew better than to assume. Despite her semi-breakdown back at the estate, Toph had been unusually quiet and withdrawn over the past few days. The funeral service had barely finished before she was clamoring aboard Appa—much to her mother's dismay. She left her with the promise to return as soon as Katara was found, only waiting because the servants hadn't finished loading the sky bison with their luggage and new rations.

Once they were aboard, Sokka often found her resting fitfully, her small body shivering against the cold. He made a concerted effort to cover her with his seal skin blanket and made sure she ate whenever she was awake, but other than that, he felt helpless. He simply wasn't old enough to remember what happened when his mother died and his small gestures just seemed ineffectual, insufficient. Once or twice he had tried to coax her into a conversation, easily setting himself up for one of her typical snide comments or thinly veiled retorts, but still he got nothing.

Blowing out a breath, he gently stroked Toph's blanket-covered shoulder,

"Toph, we're here."

"Mmph," she muttered.

"Come on, at least sit up."

Snuggling deeper under the blanket, Toph scrunched her face against the cold, "remind me again why we came to a place where it's cold year round."

"Because," Sokka sighed, feeling a bit better that she was making a small attempt at conversation, "that's where the letter told us to go."

"Wonderful," Toph drawled, "wake me when we get there."

Rolling his eyes, Sokka gave up, deciding that he would resume this conversation once Appa had all six of his feet firmly planted on the ground. Until then, he would just let the blind earthbender catch a little more sleep.

* * *

"And through this door is your bedroom, Avatar Aang, and," the young, thirteen year old girl paused, stifling a giggle with her hand, "Sokka, yours is across the hallway. Now Toph, if you'll foll—"

"I can find it myself, thank you very much," Toph snapped, shoving past the slightly bewildered girl and through a nearby doorway.

"But Toph tha—"

"Let her be," Sokka interrupted, giving the girl a tight smile, "I'll just sleep in the other room. It'll be best to give her a bit of space right now. But thank you for your concern…" He trailed off, trying to ignore the girl's hopeful smile. He remembered Chief Arnook introducing his daughter, Yue's sister, to the group when they had landed, but he couldn't for the life of him remember her name, "Kakona." He finally decided, praying to the Spirits that he hadn't just made a complete fool of himself.

When the girl's smile widened, and Sokka exhaled in relief, apparently he had been paying more attention than he had thought.

"Chief Arnook," she continued, turning to head towards the doorway, "would be honored if you were to dine with him this evening at sunset. May I tell him that you'll be attending?"

Sokka frowned. Torn between wanting to leave as soon as possible, he glanced at Aang, whose mouth was pressed into a thin line, before turning back to Kakona.

"You may, and thank him for the invitation. And," he added, "thank you for all the help you've been to us. We really appreciate it."

Kakona smiled even wider, blushing vividly as she backed out the doorway, managing to stammer a quick "thank you" before she was gone.

Turning to Aang, Sokka cut him off before he could protest,

"You know we should at least ask his permission. It's not like they allow anyone to simply waltz in and take some of the water from the Spirit Oasis."

Aang crossed his arms, his steely gray eyes meeting Sokka's own, "And if he says no?"

Sokka didn't blink, "then we take it anyway."

Aang nodded once before turning to enter his room,

"Oh, and Sokka?"

"What?"

"Her name was Kayia."

* * *

To Aang, the dinner with Chief Arnook and his wife had started poorly and was getting progressively worse. Toph had had to be dragged out of her room, reluctantly donning a heavy parka and boots before she left their hut. She refused both Sokka and his help, opting to stumble and trip her way through the town instead of allowing herself to be led.

When they had finally reached the Chief's dwelling, she was covered head to foot in snow and was spitting mad. Even Sokka had tried to calm her before they had entered, but his efforts were futile and the snow just compounded the effect.

Once inside, Arnook had greeted them all warmly, thanking them each in turn for their part in defeating Phoenix King Ozai and bringing a semblance of peace to the world once again.

From there, he had sat them down at a long wooden table, himself, his wife, and Kayia across from Aang, Toph, and Sokka and made polite conversation as the food was brought out. Sokka immediately took to eating with a gusto he usually reserved for polishing his boomerang and teasing Katara.

Unfortunately Toph and he were relegated to merely pushing their stewed sea prunes across their plates and feigning interest in Sokka's nostalgic reminisces. Kayia, however, responded enthusiastically to every one of Sokka's comments, blushing whenever he smiled over at her.

Aang frowned as Toph slumped lower and lower in her seat, obviously irritated at the formalities she was being forced to endure. And finally, with her trademark directness, she spoke up,

"So are we going to get what we came for or not?"

Chief Arnook merely smiled at Toph's bluntness and even Sokka had the grace to look slightly abashed.

"Of course," Arnook spread his hands graciously, "what can the Northern Water Tribe do for you?"

"Well," Sokka began, looking somewhat nervous, "we were hoping that you'd allow us to retrieve a vial of water from the Spirit Oasis."

Arnook raised an eyebrow, "that is quite a request Sokka, not one that I would grant easily. May I ask why you need such a favor?"

Sokka hesitated for a moment before launching into a brief description of Katara's travels and their subsequent adventures. Aang could tell from the listlessness of his voice that the constant movement and stress was wearing on their leader. He was clearly tired of telling people of their troubles and was not looking forward to the sympathies of yet another friend.

Closing his eyes for a moment, the chief of the Northern Water Tribe ran a hand through his receding hairline and took a breath before responding to Sokka's tale,

"Very little can rival the grief felt from the loss of a loved one—and I can understand why you have gone to such lengths to get your sister back, but before I give you an answer, I must ask you one thing: have you given thought to the reason why this person would want these things? What could he accomplish from obtaining these individual elements?"

Sokka gulped, looking a bit uncomfortable under Arnook's discerning gaze. Seeing his distress, Aang spoke up,

"We're not sure, but I believe it may have something to do with Koh. When I was in the Spirit World things were not quite right…there was much…anxiety."

"And you're comfortable with giving Koh these things knowing that very little good can come of it?"

"Of course not!" Toph exclaimed, tired of the diplomatic banter, "but we're willing to accept it! Now, are you going to let have the water or not?"

Arnook regarded them coolly, his wife and daughter quickly forgotten, "I am," he nodded, "but I will not allow you to enter the Oasis. I will only allow the Avatar and Sokka into our sacred area."

Predictably, Sokka spoke up, Aang's own protests dying, half-formed, on his lips,

"What!? Why not?"

"Because she is from the Earth Kingdom," he answered simply, "I will only allow someone from one of the water tribes, or the avatar, inside. After what happened during the Fire Nation siege and everything that happened to our tribe, I will not allow the Oasis to be tarnished by the presence of an outsider."

"Tarnished!?" Sokka nearly spat.

"Yes, tarnished," Arnook said evenly. "I do not mean it as a slight against Lady Toph—I understand all that she has done for our world and I truly do appreciate it—but she has no affiliation with the water tribe or the spirits like the avatar, and therefore, I will not allow her to enter."

"You've got to be kidding me," Sokka sputtered, running a hand through his hair.

"Yeah," Aang echoed, "I don't see why it would be a problem…it's not like she's going to do anything while we're in there."

"I'm sorry," the chief said, "that's how it needs to be."

"Fine," Sokka exclaimed, abruptly standing up, nearly knocking his plate over in the process, "then we're leaving. Come on Toph, Aang."

Aang stood up to follow Sokka, but surprisingly Toph stayed seated.

"No Sokka," came her quiet voice.

"What?" he snapped, frowning.

"We need that water…it's for Katara."

"I know," Sokka sighed, his voice quiet, "but we'll find another way. We're going to do this together."

Toph rolled her blind eyes, "You know, sometimes you're too stubborn for your own good. Just go get the dang water so we can get Katara. I'll survive."

"No," Sokka scowled, folding his arms and glaring over at Chief Arnook, "I won't go. I don't understand why they're not allowing you to go into the Oasis—you have just as much a right to as I do. And besides, you're more important than some stupid customs."

This time Sokka didn't miss the slight blush that rose to Toph's cheeks at his comment.

"Then you go, Twinkletoes," Toph offered, "we'll just head back to our room."

Aang glanced over at Sokka, silently asking his permission.

After a moment's indecision, Sokka threw his hands into the air, "Fine! Just go and get it, we're going to get Appa ready to fly. I'm sure what's-his-name will be able to get a message to us somehow while we're in the air." Scowling down at Arnook, he turned his back and walked out of the room, pausing only to mumble, "and I'd never thought I'd be glad to leave a water tribe."

And with that, their small ensemble disappeared from the room.

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review, it would make my day =) ~TH**


	31. Two Missives and a Conversation

**Hey all, sorry for delay with this chapter but I wanted to make sure I got this chapter up this weekend. Anyways, it's a bit of a filler chapter but very important to the plot and the culmination of a couple plot lines. Also, thanks to those of you that reviewed last chapter...a bit of what happens with Sokka in this chapter was inspired by a particularly helpful review about Sokka's actions last chapter. So thanks again.**

**Enjoy =)

* * *

**

**Two Missives and a Conversation**

"_Master, we have received the last element."_

"_So we have," Shong Ti responded, nodding at his pale, raven-like messenger whose heavily tattooed arm was holding up a small vial containing the water from the Northern Water Tribe's Spirit Oasis._

"_The solstice is almost upon us," he rasped, his body casting an eerie shadow in the dim light._

_Shong Ti didn't immediately answer the implied question, but slowly walked his way over to one of the many pools of water that dotted the cavern, nearby crystal formations framing each end. Not turning, he spoke slowly,_

"_It is, but we are still missing one more thing."_

"_And what might that be?" the man asked, his voice carefully schooled in an effort to hide his surprise. He didn't like being kept in the dark._

"_It should not concern you," Shong Ti snapped suddenly, "all that matters is that you do as you're told."_

"_Of course master," he hissed, inclining his head slightly. "I simply was not aware that there was a fifth ingredient."_

_Finally looking up, Shong Ti's features twisted, the light reflecting from pool deepening the lines of his angular face, his eyes sparkling with thinly veiled malice. "Do you think I tell you everything?"_

"_But something of this importance…?"_

"_If it were relevant to you, you would know," Shong Ti stated, "that is all that matters."_

_The messenger nodded, sensing his dismal._

"_Go now, do as you're told," Shong Ti said, turning and placing a hand on his shoulder, "Soon, all your hard work will be rewarded."_

_As the messenger turned and strode from the room, Shong Ti turned back to the pool._

"_Soon," he murmured into it, "soon."_

_Then, Shong Ti smiled._

* * *

It had taken them more than a day to get back to Plains Village—a day of hard, hot travel over the barren hills, the monotony only broken by the labored breathing of the lizard-mount or a groan of pain from the injured lieutenant.

When they finally came within sight of the village, Zuko knew they looked far from the conquering group they had professed to be, but instead appeared to be a group of haggard travelers, beaten and battered by the elements.

As they reached the outskirts of Plains Village, the familiar bleats of the pig-sheep seemed to be drowned out by the silence. No one stirred, the broken shutters of the inn that tapped quietly in the wind only seemed to add to the desolate nature of the town.

Their small band stopped under the ancient water tower that marked the center of town.

"Not much of a welcoming committee, is it?" Mai muttered, kicking a rock with her booted foot.

"Can't say I'd have expected anything else," Zuko shrugged.

"We could've used a place to spend the night though," Mai frowned, rubbing her bandaged hand subconsciously, "especially if we're going to continue looking for the kids—and figuring out what to do with that key."

Inwardly, Zuko raised an eyebrow, he could count on one hand the number of times Mai had even hinted at wanting to stop and take a break when they were travelling, and now, she was practically asking him to stop.

He glanced sidelong at her, allowing his eyes to roam up her dirt covered form, noting the many small cuts and abrasions on her arms, and a bruise that was slowly forming under her left eye—apparently the battle in the ravine had been more difficult than she had let on.

If anything, his men were in worse shape. The lieutenant was swaying in the saddle of their lone mount, a glazed look in his eyes as he gazed off into nothingness. The remaining healthy soldier didn't look good either—his shoulders were wilting in the afternoon sun and dried blood caked his lower lip.

Zuko himself was nearly asleep on his feet, only surviving off pure adrenaline and sheer will power. He knew they wouldn't be able to go on much longer regardless of whether they wanted to or not.

Snapping himself from his revere, he realized he had been gazing off for a full minute and no one had even said anything. Another bad sign.

"Alright," Zuko said tiredly, "we're not going anywhere this afternoon and we're going to get a good night's sleep whether these villagers like it or not. Now come on."

And with that, he wheeled the group around and led the way back to the inn, not stopping at the closed door, but merely walking right in. Mai was right behind him and the soldiers followed a minute later after tying up the lizard-mount outside.

At first glance the bar area appeared deserted, but upon closer examination, a lone candle burned silently on one of the tables in the far corner. At it, sat Gansu and his wife, Sela—they appeared to have been waiting for them.

Halting a bit awkwardly in front of the table, Zuko and Mai looked down at the pair, noting that their expressions were almost identical to the ones that Zuko's group had worn when they had arrived in town.

Deciding to break the silence, Zuko spoke up,

"Do you mind if we spend the night here? We could all use some sleep."

Gansu's eyes flicked to the two soldiers,

"Of course," he nodded, motioning the two of them up the stairs to the rooms, "but we'd like to speak to you two."

Zuko motioned for his men to get some rest, before Mai and he took the seats across from the innkeepers. He sat there, allowing an expectant silence to fill the room.

Surprisingly, it was Sela who spoke into the stillness, her voice clearly strained,

"He still has my baby!"

"Sela, it's not their fault," Gensu immediately urged, gently squeezing his wife's hand, "I'm sure they did all they could."

Glancing up, he met Zuko's eyes searchingly, looking for a confirmation they didn't hold.

"We did," Mai's voice cut in, "and two men gave their lives trying to save Lee and the rest of the children."

Sela had the grace to look abashed.

"We're sorry that it came to that," Gensu continued quietly, "had we known it would've come to this, we wouldn't have asked you to go."

"No," Zuko shook his head, "you wouldn't have needed to ask, we would've gone anyway."

A wry smile touched Gensu's lips before it disappeared as quickly as it had been formed,

"Unfortunately," he said, his eyes suddenly fixed on the table in front of him, "there's more."

Mai, who had been idly tapping one of her shurikens against the table, abruptly stopped.

"There's more," she said dryly, "wonderful."

Wordlessly, Gensu pulled a scroll out from inside his tunic and placed it on the table before the pair. It sat there, ominously, taunting them.

For a moment, neither Zuko nor Mai moved, both caught staring at the broken seal that adorned the parchment. On it, clearly visible despite the cracking, was the same centipede-like image that they had found on the rock that had covered the strange key they now possessed.

"Do you think they're connected?" Mai asked.

Zuko grimaced, "I would surprised if they weren't. You've read this already, I assume?" he continued, as he reached forward, grabbing the scroll and unrolling it so that both Mai and he could read it.

Gensu and Sela merely nodded, watching the pair closely for any reaction.

Turning his eyes back to the parchment before him, Zuko read:

_Our Esteemed Fire Lord and Lady,_

_I realize this message may come as a surprise to the both of you, but I ask that you read it fully before dismissing it—it concerns a certain problem that we both appear to share, your sister. She has, I admit, been under my service for some time now, but, to put it bluntly, she has outlived her usefulness._

_Now I am not an unreasonable man, and I do not act indiscriminately, but when one of my assets is no longer valuable, I cut ties with it—quickly and decisively. My relationship with Azula has reached this point._

_If I were you, Fire Lord, I would make all haste to Pohuai Stronghold. You have five days before I will consider her services terminated. I wouldn't tarry if I were you, I'm not known for my patience, and I'm not a forgiving man._

_And as an added bonus, the children you're searching for—they'll be there as well._

The scroll was left unsigned.

Finally, it was Mai who broke the silence, "Pohuai Stronghold…why does that name sound familiar?"

Zuko shrugged, "I'm not sure it should. I only know about it because I had to sneak into that fortress to free Aang the time that Admiral Zhao captured him."

"Well," Mai prompted, "do you know anything else about this place?"

"It's quite the fortress," Zuko sighed, "three walls guarding a heavily armored keep backed up to a mountain. Colonel Shinu, the ranking officer during the war, always boasted that they could hold out against an attack even longer than the Fire Nation capital itself if they needed to. Part of this," Zuko chuckled, "was due to its remote location in the Northwest corner of the Earth Kingdom, the other part was completely true. Sometimes I wondered why my father put it there in the first place."

Mai was quiet for a moment, slowly digesting the information. Looking over at the couple across the table from them, Zuko was a bit surprised when Sela spoke up once again, her voice urgent,

"So how long will it take you to get there?"

"Excuse me?" Mai started.

"You will be going," Sela said, her eyes bright with hope, "to rescue your sister…and…and the children…won't you?"

"Of course," Zuko nodded.

Mai's startled gasp was cut off by Sela's, "Oh thank you!"

"Zuko," Mai hissed, eyeing Sela, who looked like she was dangerously close to getting up and hugging her husband, "can we talk about this for a moment?"

Zuko caught Gensu's eye meaningfully, "we're going to step outside for a moment."

The innkeeper nodded, placing a restraining hand on his wife's forearm.

Mai huffed and led the way out the door, crossing her arms and staring down the empty road until her husband had joined her. Wheeling on him, her eyes seemed to blaze,

"When are you going to let Azula stop running your life!? Sometimes you just have to accept that some people are beyond your help! You can't run after her every time her name appears or go bail her out of whatever trouble she's causing!" She held up her hand to forestall her husband's protests, "And when are you going to realize that you're too noble for your own good. You can't simply go chasing after every lost turtle-duck just because you can. One of these days you're going to get hurt…and if that day ever comes," Mai paused for a moment, her tirade seeming to lose steam, "so help me..."

Suddenly, wordlessly, Zuko pulled his wife into a hug, knowing moments of raw emotion like this one were few and far between for her.

After a moment, Zuko gently pulled back and met her eyes,

"Mai…I can't just abandon my sister…regardless of her actions, she's family. I won't abandon her to a certain death when I know there's something I can do about it. And I can't just leave the children either. I'm not my father Mai…I don't want people to thi—"

"You are not your father," Mai cut him off softly, her eyes firm, "and people don't think that you are. Always remember that."

Zuko gave her a soft smile, "so we'll go?"

Mai rolled her eyes, "of course we'll go, I just wanted to make sure thought it through before we went off again."

Zuko smiled, knowing there was more behind Mai's outburst than a simple inquiry, but not wanting to push her further,

"First, though, let's get a good night's sleep."

"We have the time?" Mai teased, her voice betraying a bit of true surprise.

"From what I remember," Zuko said, dipping his face down and brushing his lips against hers, "it should take about three days to get there from here. So we have plenty of time for a good night's sleep."

Mai's mouth smiled against his as she reached up to kiss him again before slowly pulling away and beginning to head back to the inn.

"And you'll send a messenger hawk to Iroh?"

Zuko chuckled, "in the morning."

Feeling better than he had in ages, Zuko allowed a true grin to stretch across his features as he followed his wife back inside.

* * *

Sokka scuffed the toe of his boot against the hard packed snow around the edge of building that they were staying, trying to block the last day from his memory. Everything should have been alright, Aang had gotten the water from the Spirit Oasis, Appa had been re-provisioned, and for once, he should have been feeling pretty good—were it not for the guilt eating at his conscience.

After he had left Chief Arnook's dinner, he knew he had overreacted a bit, and for the life of him, he couldn't understand why. He knew on the surface that some of his anger stemmed from Arnook's dismissal of Toph, but deep down, he wasn't quite sure why he reacted so strongly.

So now here he was, standing outside in the cold, deciding whether or not he should go apologize to the chief of the Northern Water Tribe. After a few more minutes of deliberation, he had all but decided to just give it up and just tell Aang and Toph that they were leaving when Katara's form rose, unbidden to his mind.

He could see her standing there, her hands on her hips, giving him that motherly scowl that he loved to hate, but would have given anything to really see in front of him at that moment. Sighing, he threw his hands in the air, deciding that Appa could wait another half hour while he went and visited the chief.

And so, it was because of his sister that Sokka found himself smiling down at Kayia once again, asking to see her father. Surprisingly, the young girl, who at times reminded Sokka painfully of Yue, came back and said that her father was free.

Slowly, Sokka pushed aside the one of the skins that separated the outside foyer from the inner room, and stepped inside. He tried to smile at Arnook but only managed a tight grimace.

"Sokka," the chief smiled, looking up from a scroll on his desk, "what can I do for you? I trust the avatar did not have any problems in the Spirit Oasis?"

"No," Sokka shook his head, "everything went fine." He paused for a moment before verbalizing the reason for his visit, "But I'm here because I wanted to apologize for my actions last night—they were out of line—and I should have respected your judgment. You're the chief, and I'm not."

Arnook regarded Sokka silently for a full ten seconds before responding, "I accept your apology, Sokka. And I must say, I'm impressed by your maturity and humility—both are traits any good leader should have, and they do not come naturally to most of us."

Sokka smiled slightly, acknowledging Arnook's complement.

"I must say," the chief continued, "after our conversation over dinner I had my doubts—I thought perhaps I had misjudged you…that perhaps you had not learned as much as I thought you had from your experiences during the war. I'm glad to see that I was wrong."

"Thank you sir," Sokka said, "I'm not really sure what came over me."

When Chief Arnook didn't respond immediately, Sokka looked up and was surprised to see a smile playing at his lips.

"Sir?" Sokka asked, perplexed.

"You never go after the easy ones, do you?" he laughed.

"Excuse me?"

"Girls," Arnook said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "first it was my daughter, then it was the Kyoshi warrior, and now Toph."

"What!?" Sokka sputtered, finally putting it together, "you think I like Toph?"

"Don't you?" the chief asked, still smiling.

"Well of course!" Sokka exclaimed, "she's my best friend!"

"We both know that wasn't what I meant," Arnook said, his voice suddenly more serious.

For some reason, Sokka couldn't stop his cheeks from heating up, "Well…I don't know…I mean…"

For a second, Sokka could have sworn the chief of the Northern Water Tribe had begun to roll his eyes, "Sokka, look, I'm going to say this as best I can from the position of a father with two daughters. If you truly do not have feelings for Toph, you need to make that clear to her. She clearly, clearly," he repeated when he saw Sokka open his mouth the protest, "has feelings for you. I know having this conversation would be difficult for the both of you, and maybe this isn't the best time with everything that is going on, but you need do something."

"Ok…" Sokka trailed off, unsure of what to say, but acknowledging that Chief Arnook had just given him something to think about.

"You won't regret it," Arnook said, giving Sokka that same knowing smile he had showed earlier.

Sokka finally cracked a smile, rubbing the back of his neck, "Well, thank you…for everything. I appreciate you allowing us to use some of the water from the oasis…and for our conversation."

Arnook nodded as Sokka turned to leave, "Oh and Sokka?"

Sokka stopped, turning to face him once more, "this was left on my doorstep about an hour ago. I think you'll need it."

Sokka openly gaped at the scroll held in Arnook's proffered hand, the very familiar image of a centipede emblazoned on its side.

"Did you read it?" he asked, his voice wavering a bit.

Arnook shook his head, "No, I felt that its contents were your business, not mine. I do, however, wish you the best of luck wherever it takes you. I hope you're able to find your sister soon."

Sokka nodded, not sure of what else to say, and slowly backed through the doorway, unrolling the scroll as he walked.

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**Thanks for reading, please, please review! =)**


	32. Observation and Action

**Hey all! Sorry for the time between updates. I feel kinda bad for having such a long break, but unfortunately real life got in the way and had to take precedence. Regardless, here's the next chapter! Thanks for your patience and for all of you who reviewed last chapter.**

**Disclaimed.**

**Enjoy!

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**Observation and Action**

It had been three days. Three days since Zuko had last seen a smile on his wife's face. Three days of hard travel over rough ground. And now their goal lay before them in the ominous form of the late Admiral Zhao's infamous stronghold, the turrets of its outer walls stretching into the inky, pre-dawn sky, menacing, foreboding.

As the sun dawned on that fourth morning, Zuko eyed the wall warily. He had left his two men to rest and make camp, while Mai and he scouted the perimeter under the shroud of the receding darkness. From relative safety, they could only frown and shake their heads—this wasn't going to be easy. The fortress was massive, seemingly cut from the rocky mountainside against which it resided, its heavy walls stretching skyward.

From the edge of the forest to the iron portcullis of the front gate, stretched a literal killing zone, a hundred yards of bare grass and rock stripped of all but the smallest cover. A daylight assault would be suicide.

The pair had circled the fortress for the last two hours, taking note of each turret, each guard house, watching the fires flicker invitingly upon the wall. The men on guard had demonstrated a relaxed comfort that surprised the Fire Lord; it was almost as if they assumed they were safe, their fortress impenetrable. Of the roughly fifteen men that he had seen, none had so much raised an eyebrow or spared a glance for the surrounding forest.

"This reeks of a trap," Mai muttered, voicing Zuko's worries aloud.

He nodded, "Those walls could hide hundreds, even thousands, of men."

"And there's no way to tell until we're inside," Mai added, eyeing the nearest rampart.

And in that statement, unfortunately, lay the crux of the problem—there was no way for them to know how many enemies were inside the walls until they had already committed to an attack.

They were going to have to find a way to sneak in, and at the moment, that seemed nigh impossible.

"Let's go back to the men and get some rest ourselves," Zuko said, shaking his head, "we're going to need it if we're going to figure out how to break into this place."

Mai reluctantly agreed and set off, leading the way back to their campsite.

The sun rose eerily behind them as they walked, casting its rays along the sheer cliffs of the mountain, bathing the rough outer walls of the fortress in its glow. The center keep, an ornate spire touched with red and gold, glowing like a beacon.

After ten solid minutes of walking, a haggard Zuko and Mai stumbled through a large stand of trees, almost missing what lay in front of them. Crouching in the clearing just ahead, eyeing the working forms of the two soldiers Zuko had left to make camp, was a man, his bow out, an arrow hanging loosely in his hands.

But before Zuko could act or even shout a warning, Mai had sprung into action, her longs legs covering the distance swiftly. By the time the man had even registered her presence, the flat edge of her knife was pressed against his throat.

"Speak quickly," she hissed.

The man tensed, taking a moment to find his voice, "w-we're h-here for the Fire Lord."

"Well in that case," Mai spat, her blade tightening against his neck.

The man's eyes widened, his voice becoming more urgent as words flowed out of him, "N-no, n-not like that! W-we're here to help the Fire Lord. G-general Iroh sent us."

At Iroh's name, Mai's grip slackened, the knife rising slightly off her captive. Finally able to take a breath, the man swiveled his head, his eyes briefly meeting Mai's own.

"Spirits!" the man cursed, momentarily forgetting himself, "my apologies Fire Lady, I didn't recognize you!"

The man dropped to his knees, forcing an irritated Mai to move her knife for fear of killing him.

"My Lady," he began again from his prostrate position. "I must beg your forgiveness. I never meant to startle you."

"Then why were you going to attack those men?" She asked warily.

"They're yours?" he asked, "I assumed they were from the fortress. Nobody else would camp out here."

Coming up beside his wife, Zuko nodded, "and who might you be?"

"Ming Tsong," he murmured, rising from his knees, "an advance scout for the Jade Warriors."

"The Jade Warriors?" Zuko cut in, "who are they?"

A smile seemed to pull at the young man's lips, "We are friends of your Uncle and members of the Order of the White Lotus. We received a messenger hawk from the Grand Master yesterday saying that you were in need of assistance. He said it was urgent, so we came."

"And how many of you are there?"

"Twenty soldiers in all," Ming began, frowning at Zuko's furrowed brow, "but we fight like a hundred."

"I'm sure you do," Mai said, rolling her eyes, "but we're supposed to be attacking a fortress. We need an army, not a few foot soldiers."

"We fi—"

"Yes, I understand," Zuko snapped, suddenly tired of Ming's supposed exaggerations. "Look, where is your commander, I'd like to speak with him."

Ming had opened his mouth to speak once again, when another man stepped into the clearing, his hands conspicuously distanced from his weapons.

"I'm here, Fire Lord," he said, his voice rather slow and deliberate.

Turning towards the voice, Zuko expected to find another young man, able bodied and fit. Instead, standing before him, was a figure that appeared bent and beaten, as if he himself had fought from the beginning of the Hundred Years War and his body had slowly started to go to seed. His face, bronzed and leathery, was deeply wrinkled, and the only apparent sign of youthful energy was in his eyes which seemed to sparkle in the morning sun.

"My name," he continued, bowing slightly at the waist, "is Nun-Sing Shu, master in the Order of the White Lotus and leader of the Jade Warriors. How may we be of service to you, Fire Lord Zuko?"

Taken aback by the man's formality, Zuko didn't immediately respond, giving Mai an opportunity to cut in, "Nun-Sing," she began carefully, "I mean no disrespect, we're grateful for your assistance, but we need to find a way inside that fortress, and quite honestly, an extra twenty men—no matter how skilled—are not going to be much help."

Instead of frowning, Nun-Sing's face seemed to light up, his eyes sparkling all the more, "And you think Iroh made a mistake in calling upon us?"

"Well…no," Mai admitted, "but I don't think he truly understood our circumstances. We need five times as many men—or at least some tanks and airships."

"You would," Nun-Sing nodded, "if you didn't have us."

"Bu—"

Nun-Sing continued, cutting off Zuko's retort, "did you pause to think why we're called the Jade Warriors?"

Zuko shook his head.

"We're named after the White Jade Bush, a plant renowned for its ability to mask its true identity—its poison. My warriors are masters of intrusion and camouflage, one moment you see us, the next you don't. Your uncle was wise to send us, especially when you need an army larger than you can find."

Mai crossed her arms, glancing over at her husband as Nun-Sing finished speaking. If this man's claims were true, they could indeed provide the help that Zuko so desperately needed.

"So how to you propose we get inside?" Mai asked, curious in spite of herself.

"Simple," Nun-Sing said, his smile sending a shiver down her spine, "we go through the main gate."

* * *

The air whistled past Aang's head, its cool breeze caressing his bare skull and raising goosebumps on his arms. Normally being aloft, feeling the gentle rhythm of Appa beneath him, comforted him, but today it only made him restless.

Their small group had left the Northern Water Tribe yesterday, taking the most direct route to the mainland in hopes of getting out of the cold—mainly because it made Toph so uncomfortable. In reality, Aang was glad for the slight detour, it gave him time to collect his thoughts, to think about the last scroll they had received.

It had been blunt in its simplicity, direct and unerring in its message, but what worried Aang the most was the sense of finality that came with it.

Unbidden, its words rose to his mind.

_Avatar Aang,_

_You have done well. You have done everything I have asked and more. You have been truly helpful._

_Regrettably, our time together is at an end—I no longer have need of your services but for one final act. This, however, must be completed in person._

_I need not remind you that young Katara's life hangs in the balance and that any deviation from my directions or at the slightest hint of betrayal, I will not hesitate to strike. I am not naïve enough to think myself your equal in battle, but believe me when I say I will come prepared._

_In exactly one week, I expect your presence at the Twisting Serpent, a small tavern in the middle ring of Ba Sing Se._

_Do not be late. Do not be early. _

_Obey, and Katara will be set free._

With a familiar lurch, his stomach threatened to expel the hasty breakfast he had eaten that morning. He needed to do something, anything to take his mind off the upcoming days. He needed to find his center, the balance he had suddenly lost.

"I'm going to land," Aang declared abruptly, not looking back at Sokka or Toph as Appa descended, "I need to meditate."

"But what about Ba Sing Se?" Sokka snapped, "what about Katara?"

"He said he didn't want us there early," Aang countered, "and besides, I need time to prepare myself."

"Look," Sokka argued, "we agreed that getting to Ba Sing Se as quickly as possible would be best. It's not like we're going to stake out the Twisting Serpent, but getting there with plenty of time to spare would be the best thing to do."

"And we will," Aang said, suddenly tired, "but if I don't take a break to meditate, I'm not sure if I'm going to make it there."

"If you think that's best," Sokka retorted, the challenge implicit in his tone.

"I do," Aang nodded, and with that, he directed Appa to the clearing below.

* * *

Sokka sighed, running a hand back through his hair. He hadn't meant to snap at Aang and he certainly understood his reasons for wanting to take a quick break, but he couldn't wait for this all to be over. The mysterious man's last message was a constant shroud hanging over him, a reminder that soon they wouldn't always have to be travelling, that soon he would have his sister back—hopefully alive.

And then, of course, there was Toph.

Chief Arnook's conversation was still fresh in his mind, the implication that there could be something more than friendship between Toph and himself was weighing down on him. It wasn't that he didn't like Toph—he truly did—and, when he was completely honest with himself, the thought of them together had crossed his mind before, but now…now he wasn't sure.

But everything she did seemed to be magnified tenfold.

It wasn't just the way the breeze seemed to play with her ebony locks, tossing them carelessly over her shoulder and casually framing her face, or the way her pale green eyes glistened in the afternoon sun, but her lips too, the slight pout she always seemed to wear coupled with her mischievous smirks. And then there were her hands. The way her tiny fingers, rough and calloused from constant earthbending, played with the fringe of her tunic, occasionally lifting it slightly to scratch at the skin beneath. It was moments like these where Sokka could not keep himself from staring, from wishing she would move her hand a little bit farther, a bit higher—and it drove him crazy.

Letting out an audible sigh, he put his head in his hands. She was driving him to insanity and she didn't even know it. He needed professional help, and last time he checked, he was the group's psychiatrist.

"Sokka?"

Sokka almost hated how much he liked hearing that voice.

"Hmmm?" he mumbled, suddenly not trusting himself to respond coherently.

"You alright over there?"

"Yeah…of course," he shrugged, trying to sound casual, "why do you ask?"

"Oh, I don't know," she scowled, "maybe because that's the third time you've done your little head in your hands routine in the last half hour."

Spirits. She noticed.

"It's nothing. I'm just…tired," Sokka finished lamely, knowing Toph would be able to see right through his rather flimsy excuse.

"Right," she snorted, "and Twinkletoes over there is suddenly going to start eating meat. Now tell me what's up."

Sokka opened his mouth to respond when Aang's voice, thankfully, cut him off. Apparently, Appa had landed.

"We're here," he exclaimed, hopping off the sky bison's head. "I'm not sure how long I'll be so you two can set up a bit of a camp if you like. I think the Chief gave us some extra supplies before we left."

He turned to go, but not before turning around and fixing Sokka with a significant look, "Oh, and Sokka? Try to get along."

Sokka rolled his eyes, since when did Aang start sounding like Katara?

"Yeah, we'll be fine," Toph interrupted, letting herself carefully down from the saddle, "just go do your thing in the Spirit World so we can get back to saving your girlfriend."

Inwardly, Sokka winced. He wasn't sure if it such a good idea to mention Katara so flippantly to Aang, especially in the context of their relationship.

Surprisingly, however, Aang just shrugged it off, only his eyes radiating his sorrow. He threw a half-hearted wave in Sokka's direction and then disappeared into the woods.

"Did you really have to do that?" Sokka snapped once Aang was out of sight.

"Do what?" Toph retorted, knowing perfectly well what Sokka was referring to.

"Mention Katara like that!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air in frustration, "I mean you practically told him that searching for my sister was some grand inconvenience for you!"

"A grand inconvenience!?" Toph laughed shortly, "is that what you really thought I meant?"

"Well…no," he stammered, refusing to back down.

"Because," Toph continued, talking over her friend, "I think it's you who have the problem here. Something is obviously messing with your head and if we are going to find Katara, I think it's you who need to get things straightened out."

Now it was Sokka's turn to snort. If she only knew.

"You know Toph," Sokka said, shaking his head, "I think you're reading too much into this. I'm fine."

"Oh really?" she smirked and Sokka suddenly realized that was where she had been going with the argument all along, "then why don't you just tell me?"

Sokka grimaced, he didn't see a way out of this conversation that didn't involve his bodily harm and Toph certainly wasn't going to let him get away with lying again.

"After all," Toph teased, taking a couple steps towards him, "you said it wasn't a big deal."

Sokka sighed, resisting the urge to place his head in his hands once again, and tried to quell his suddenly queasy stomach.

He glanced up suddenly, surprised to see Toph standing in front of him, her hands on her hips, waiting expectantly. In a rush, everything Arnook had said passed through his mind. This was the moment he had been talking about; it was time Sokka took a risk. And so, he leaned forward, his hand gently running up the shorter girl's arm. He saw Toph's eyes widen slightly as he started to close the distance, and felt his lips begin to part…when suddenly Aang burst into the clearing, his eyes wide, his voice in a near panic.

Upon hearing Aang crash into the clearing, Sokka and Toph had jumped apart, their cheeks burning, pointedly looking anywhere but at each other.

"Sokka! Toph!" He cried, oblivious to the moment he had interrupted.

"What is it!?" Sokka snapped defensively, annoyed at Aang's sudden appearance.

"We need to leave now!" He exclaimed, dashing towards Appa with a near reckless abandon.

"But why!?" Sokka yelled, physically restraining a now frantic Aang.

"It's Zuko and Mai!" he exclaimed urgently, his gray eyes seeming to bore into Sokka's skull, "they're in trouble!"

And with that, he shrugged off Sokka's arms and vaulted onto Appa, waiting impatiently as the two of them clamored onboard.

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**=) I'm evil...**

**Thanks for reading and please review! I love hearing from you all.  
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	33. Through the Main Gate

**So I know you probably thought I was dead...or had forgotten about this story, or simply quit. Or maybe some combination of those. I'm not going to lie, college, sports, and other activities have taken over my life to an extent. I've had close to zero time to write. Regardless, I am going to finish this as I promised. I won't leave it as it is. I hope you understand that the time between updates probably bothers me more than it does you, there's just not much I can do about it. Sometimes I have to have priorities and if writing this was going to get me A's in school, believe me, I'd be better. =)**

**Anyways, for those of you who are still with me, thanks! Hopefully you enjoy this chapter!

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**Through the Main Gate**

"You're sure this is going to work?" Zuko asked, trying to raise an eyebrow in Nun-Sing's direction. He was bent over slightly, his mouth muffled, as Mai continued to wrap a turban around his head.

"Yes, I'm quite sure that no one will be able to tell who you are with that turban on. You'll just be another faceless recruit," Nun-Sing smiled, fiddling with the garb of one of his men.

The Fire Lord sighed, the leader of Jade Warriors was infuriatingly evasive at times, but, Zuko had to admit, he seemed to know what he was doing. His plan was well thought out and appeared to have a chance at success—something Zuko's rather feeble attempts had failed to do.

Earlier that morning they had decided to put Nun-Sing's plan into action. Zuko, Mai, and a small group of soldiers had managed to overpower one of the small scouting parties that were occasionally sent from the fortress to search the fringes of the forest. After disarming them, they had stripped them of their uniforms and bound them securely, leaving them in the guard of Zuko's two remaining men.

At this point, however, the plan seemed to go downhill. According to Nun-Sing, it would be relatively easy to dress five of his men up in the guards' uniforms and march them back into the fortress where, once inside, they could either extract the princess or neutralize the guards.

To Zuko this plan seemed ludicrously simple; his sister wasn't a prisoner, she didn't want to escape. Unless these men had bound and captured her, she wasn't going to listen to reason—especially if it came from him.

Regardless, he had insisted that he be allowed to go along despite his rather distinctive scar. So, the plan had evolved, going from a rather small, five man operation, to one that involved all of the Jade Warriors in addition to Mai and Zuko himself.

After briefing Nun-Sing on their travels—leaving out a few of the details that he deemed the commander didn't need to know—the Fire Lord had to admit that the revised plan was rather ingenious, and hopefully a lot safer for all of them.

"So, let me go over the plan one more time," Nun-Sing spoke, stretching a stolen tunic over his belly. "You four," he pointed at the other four men wearing the uniforms from the fortress, "are going to be members of the scouting party. You found us," he motioned to the remaining members of their group, "wandering in the forest looking for the princess. Apparently she had mentioned a base or stronghold in this region and you all still wanted to fight after her disappearance. But remember," he cautioned, holding up a hand "we don't want to say too much about the princess because we don't know much. The more we say the more likely we'll be caught in a lie and that can't happen."

"Now, do you remember your role?" He asked, turning to Mai.

Mai rolled her eyes, deciding for the sake of her sanity to give a rather brief summary of the plan rather than listening to Nun-Sing's long-winded rhetoric, "I am the leader of this," she paused for a moment, her eyes running over the group's dirty, tattered garb, "sad group of rebels. We were separated from Kotoru's—"

"_Commander_ Kotoru's," Nun-Sing interrupted.

"Right, we were separated from _Commander_ Kotoru's group," Mai ground out, "during the battle outside Plains Village. We assumed his ambush failed and that he was captured and killed by the Fire Lord. Your group," she motioned to Nun-Sing and the four other soldiers, "found us wandering about in the woods looking for some sign of the princess or the fortress she mentioned…Is that good enough for you?"

Nun-Sing merely smiled, easily overlooking her sarcasm, "it's obvious you know what you're doing, but the rest of you," he paused, turning to the men, "would do well to know it too. We don't want there to be any break in our cover because you weren't paying attention. Alright," he clapped his hands, his mood changing in an instant, "everyone ready? Any questions?"

Mercifully, there were none.

"Ok, then let's head out. Positions everyone."

"I'm going to have a long talk with Uncle when we're through here," Zuko muttered as he passed close to Mai, "his choice of leadership leaves much to be desired."

Mai snorted and rolled her eyes. Reaching over she grabbed a piece of Zuko's turban, playfully tugging it over his eyes, "don't worry, you'll be safely hidden in this _wonderful_ headdress. I'll have to ask Nun-Sing if we can keep it when we're done."

"You wouldn't."

"Wouldn't I?" Mai asked, smirking as she turned away from her husband's rather harsh glare.

* * *

In the beginning, things seemed to be going smoothly. Nun-Sing appeared to have a better grasp on the art of subterfuge than he had originally thought, and the other Jade Warriors were playing their parts well. Even Mai had performed admirably when approached by a stern looking archer who was sporting some rather distinctive red face paint.

They had stayed out of trouble and the sentry on the outer wall had seemed to buy their story, allowing them to pass through the main gate, leaving only the two inner gates between them and the keep—the place where Zuko assumed Azula was being kept. Their group had also agreed beforehand not to mention their intentions outright for fear of raising suspicion with the guards—somehow Zuko didn't think Azula would be well liked, even among her allies.

As they approached the second gate, Zuko noticed that the archers on the wall had turned inward, their bows dangling by their sides with arrows knocked loosely against the bowstring. They were ready; the only question was for what.

Glancing to either side, the Fire Lord was surprised to find only bare dirt. There were no signs of life or habitation, and were it not for the soldiers on the wall, the fortress would have appeared deserted.

Nun-Sing seemed to notice this as well and Zuko heard him holler up at the guard tower on the second wall; however, unlike the first, there was no response, no recognition of their existence.

Just when he was beginning to think that the soldiers were going to continue ignoring them, a loud crack resounded from the gates and they gradually swung open, the iron teeth protesting loudly.

Shuffling his way through the center of the group, Zuko discreetly positioned himself behind Mai so he could hear Nun-Sing speak.

But, before Nun-Sing could even open his mouth, a low rumble worked its way to the group, effectively silencing them. As the noise reached its crescendo, a tri-horned Komodo Rhino burst through the gap and slid to a stop in front of the group, forcing Nun-Sing to scramble backwards as another six mounts fanned out behind him. The group was suddenly boxed in.

The obvious leader of the group struck an imposing figure, covered in black armor from head to toe; a blood red facemask obscured his features. Along his waist rode a small satchel filled with what could only have been explosives—a unique weapon that seemed eerily familiar to the Fire Lord.

Thinking back, he racked his brain for anyone he had met in his travels that met such an exacting description. Strangely, he found none.

"My name is Yeh-Lu," he said coldly and without preamble, staring at Nun-Sing, "what is your name, soldier?"

"Lieutenant Ling Ti," Nun-Sing said, bowing slightly at the waist, "my men and I were out on patrol and we found this group. They claim to be Princess Azula's men, separated outside of Plains Village."

Yeh-Lu appeared to consider this for a moment before responding, "and how did they find us?"

"They claim the Princess mentioned some kind of base in this area. We stumbled upon them blundering through the forest and decided to bring them to you. The guard at the front gate told us to wait here," Nun-Sing improvised.

The man aboard the rhino regarded him skeptically for a moment before urging his mount forward, forcing Nun-Sing to jump to the side to avoid being trampled.

"You," he snapped, beckoning Mai, "you're the leader of this group?"

Mai nodded, not meeting his eyes.

"What's your name?"

"Lieutenant Hui Zhong, sir," Mai said, bowing slightly at the waist. "I've served under the Princess for the past two years."

Initially, Yeh-Lu didn't answer and Mai could almost feel his eyes burning into her from under his helmet, searching for any sign of dishonesty or traitorous intent. Finally, he seemed satisfied, wheeling his mount back toward the inner gate.

"Open it!" he hollered up at one of the painted archers perched upon the wall, "We're bringing them inside!"

Almost immediately, a large, bare-chested man stepped into view, a gigantic ivory colored bow strapped across his back. His face was painted with the same red paint as the other archers, but the minimal cosmetics doing nothing to hide the hideous scar that marred his face as he sneered down at them.

For a moment he appeared to scan the group, content merely to stare down at newcomers. When he was finished, however, his ire was turned on Yeh-Lu.

"Why are you letting them inside? They haven't proven they're one of us!"

Yeh-Lu stiffened, seemingly surprised by the archer's intrusion.

"You have no right to tell me what to do," he snapped with barely concealed hatred. "These soldiers are our allies and will be treated as such. They've given us no reason to believe otherwise."

In an instant, the archer's bow was in his hand and the other men on the wall seemed to be inching closer, intent on watching the building confrontation—apparently not everything was cohesive as it had seemed from outside the wall.

"They're not proven," the man snapped again.

"Are you questioning me!?" Yeh-Lu ground out, his hand suddenly on his demolitions bag. His other men slowly left their positions around Nun-Sing's group to join their leader.

"Yes, I am," the archer snapped, knocking an arrow and drawing it tight against his cheek.

Discreetly, Nun-Sing began to wander backward, trying to steer his group away from the line of fire.

Just as Mai had begun to draw one of her trademark shurikens from her wrist holster, she felt a hand on her forearm, staying her movement. She turned to see Zuko, motioning her attention back to the wall as another ear-splitting crack ripped through the air, startling everyone into silence.

The archer on the wall wobbled for a second, thrown off balance as the previously sealed inner gate began to open. Even Yeh-Lu's rhino drew back with a surprised snort.

Zuko watched with slightly morbid fascination as the gate opened to allow a man to step into their midst.

Initially, his dress impressed the Fire Lord more than his physique. Covered from head to foot in black, he wore a sleeveless black tunic over a pair of loose fitting pants. His bare arms were extremely pale, as if they hadn't seen the sun in weeks, and heavily tattooed with what appeared to be black centipedes wrapped around his distinct, blue-black veins.

Raven-like, he strode into their midst, head held high—it was clear that he demanded the attention of every one present.

"Colonel Kwo," he said, inclining his head to the scarred man on the wall, his bow now held loosely in his hand, "what seems to be the problem?"

"Yeh-Lu," the colonel bit out, choking on every syllable, "seems to think these soldiers are truly our allies. Frankly, I don't believe them."

Before Yeh-Lu could respond, the tattooed man cut him off, "but I do believe them. And I've checked their story with Princess Azula herself; they are who they say they are."

Shock seemed to radiate from both the colonel and Yeh-Lu, and even Zuko had to raise an eyebrow.

"You…checked…with the princess," Yeh-Lu stammered after he had found his voice.

"I did," he answered, his voice leaving no room for argument, "now please, let's proceed."

Despite his carefully schooled expression, Zuko almost let his surprise show once they reached the inner courtyard. Inside the final gate were the rows and rows of tents that they had expected to find within the outer walls. The patchwork dwellings lined the inner wall as men and women moved quietly between them. There were no fires, no loud dueling or bending that would have alerted outsiders to their presence. It seemed the speculated army that had drawn Azula truly existed. Now the only question was what to do about it. And for the moment, Zuko had no answer.

Leading their group, the tattooed man seemed oblivious to the obvious discomfort of those behind him. With a neutral expression, Zuko did the only thing he could, placing one foot in front of the other, studiously ignoring the hot breath of Yeh-Lu's Komodo Rhino on his neck and the icy glares of the archers from above.

As they approached the steps leading into the keep, faces looked up, frowning critically at the newcomers. Their tattered clothes and rather disheveled appearances took nothing away from the fire in their eyes. These people were clearly fanatics, driven by an unseen force and a passion buried deep within. Their weapons, while eclectic, were never far out of reach, their blades, honed to a razor's edge.

When the shadow of the keep finally eclipsed the sun, an involuntary shiver shook Zuko's body. There was something evil here, some force at work with plans far more sinister than a simple plot to capture Azula or kill him.

The doors of the keep swung ominously open, and the man turned, beckoning them inside with a grand sweep of his arm.

Nun-Sing began to lead the entire group in when he was stopped by Yeh-Lu's raised hand.

Surprisingly, it was the tattooed man who spoke, not his colleague.

"Only five please, we don't need the entire group." His mouth quirked upward into a bemused smirk.

Almost immediately, Zuko and Mai stepped up behind Nun-Sing, followed quickly by two men, specialists in hand to hand combat that had been assigned to protect the Fire Lord in the event of an attack.

"You're ready." It wasn't a question.

Nun-Sing nodded, struggling to keep his optimistic smile in place.

As they began to follow the mysterious man into the keep, Zuko resisted the temptation to look over his shoulder when he heard Yeh-Lu and the colonel fall into step behind them.

The interior of the keep was drab, its narrow corridors only sparsely lit by flickering torches, every shadow seemed to reach out and grab at the passing group. They turned the corner, and at the end of the hallway, haloed in light, was a single door, its cross-hatched gold inlay shining against the darkness. Unless Zuko was mistaken, it led to Admiral Zhao's audience chamber.

When they reached the door, their guide stopped.

"Azula is inside," he said.

In a single motion, he opened the door. Darkness greeted them.

Instantly, Zuko felt Mai tense beside him.

"Is this some kind of joke?" Nun-Sing's voice cut the silence, striving to maintain a sense of calm.

"Of course not," the tattooed man seemed disappointed, as if his guests' ability to stay composed frustrated him. "You know how she is;" he continued ominously, "sometimes the darkness…calms her."

The man's piercing gaze sent shivers down Zuko's spine in the dancing torchlight. He knew more than he should.

"Now please, follow me."

Taking a torch off the wall, he led the way inside, followed cautiously by the small group. Only when Yeh-Lu and his companion had fully entered the room did his torch stop bobbing.

The door slammed shut in the silence.

"Wha—"

"_Please_." Their guide's voice was suddenly harsh, cutting off Nun-Sing's question, "spare me your lies. I know who you are. Isn't that right…Fire Lord?"

Zuko blew out the breath he didn't know he was holding, his hands automatically settling themselves into a fighting position.

"What have you done with my sister?"

The man smiled sinisterly, the flickering shadows setting his face only further into recess.

"Colonel Kwo, if you please."

Stepping from behind Zuko, the archer precisely shot two fire balls from his hands into the darkness. The blazing orbs crashed into hanging baskets, suddenly bathing the room in light.

And in the silence, Zuko heard an unmistakable snort.

"Zuzu, you are _so_ predictable."

Zuko whirled, expecting to find his sister, her legs wide and her arms crossed across her chest, scowling down at him. Instead, he was surprised to find her arms pinioned behind her back by a burly soldier and her left eye swollen in what looked to be a couple-day old bruise. But despite her disheveled appearance, the sight of her blood smeared lips curved into a smirk brought a smile to his face. The feeling, however, was short lived.

"Now Fire Lord, if you will please come quietly…"

"Oh spare us," Azula's voice cut off the tattooed man, "you're just going to kill us."

Her voice was nonchalant, belying the power of her words.

Mai, however, didn't wait for their host to answer; having assessed the situation from the moment the room became lit. She dropped into a crouch, her shurikens flashing briefly before they embedded themselves in the soldier holding Azula back. He crumpled with a soft whimper.

Yeh-Lu and Kwo both moved for their weapons but the leader stayed them with his hand.

Slowly, Azula stood up, rubbing her wrists as she glanced down at her former captor. Purposefully, she stepped on his wrist as she bent down to retrieve the sword from his belt. Twirling it idly, she surveyed its blade before acknowledging the scene before her.

The tattooed man seemed to be studying her closely, his head cocked slightly.

Azula casually looked around the room, watching Zuko, Mai, and their three companions closely.

"This is a familiar predicament, isn't it brother? You're badly outnumbered and in need of my help…" she paused, savoring the moment, "but again I ask myself, why should I help you? You _betrayed_ me Zuzu."

"We came here to rescue you!" Zuko protested, warily eyeing the ten previously inconspicuous soldiers that had appeared after Kwo had lit the room.

Azula eyed her brother, her pose was casual but her eyes were tense, active and probing.

This time, it was Mai's voice that broke the silence.

"Think Azula. Who was it that was really using you here? Who was using you as bait?"

"Azula…" their host cautioned, watching the Fire Princess warily.

"No, I understand," Azula said, smiling slowly at her brother. "I was just doing my duty. For the cause. Our cause."

The man visibly relaxed, his eyes traveling from Azula to the group in front of him.

"Now," he said, addressing Zuko once again, "will you come quietly?"

Zuko let Mai's snort answer for the both of them.

"Then l—"

Azula strode in front of him, interrupting his orders.

"No _sir_," the word slipped off her tongue like poison, "allow me."

Zuko tensed, resigning himself for another fight with his sibling—one that only one of them would walk away from. Staring into his sister's eyes, he could still see the glint of the madness that his uncle had sensed and that he had seen in the desert. But underneath, beneath the façade, lay a scrap of sanity—and in that instant, Zuko knew he had finally found it.

Striding forward, Azula approached her brother, placing a hand under his chin.

"My, my brother," she chided, "traveling has not been good to you. You should get some rest."

"We're all tired," Mai growled, clearly not reading Azula like Zuko did.

Azula shook her head, a smile playing at her lips.

"Have you been taking care of my brother, Mai? He doesn't look so good."

"Zuko…" Mai's voice was dangerously low.

"Azula!" the tattooed man's voice broke over them, stern and harsh. "Get on with it."

"As you wish," she mocked.

And turning in one motion she attacked, sending a wave of fire shooting over Zuko's shoulder, catching Yeh-Lu full in the face.

* * *

**So I probably don't deserve reviews after the time I made you wait, but I'd definitely appreciate them. =) Thanks.**


	34. Fighting for Time

**Hey again...yea...it's been too long. Honestly, I'm not sure what to say, the delay is never really my intention. I would've thought summer would have given me more time to write but I guess not. **

**For those of you still with me, this chapter is longer than my usual ones and has a lot of action so consider that a small recompense if you're still with me.**

**Thanks for reading! Please enjoy!

* * *

  
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**Fighting for Time**

Zuko was in motion the instant Azula's attack cleared his shoulder, his wave of fire scattering the surprised soldiers. He felt Mai's back against his, her knives biting at their enemies' exposed flesh. He saw two go down before the shock seemed to wear off.

"Guards! Colonel Kwo! To me!" the cloaked figure yelled, pulling two wicked looking swords off his back. Yeh-Lu, however, remained motionless, a wisp of smoke curling from the cracks in his face plate.

"Nun-Sing!" Zuko called, deciding that the time for subtlety had long since passed, "we need to find a way out of here!"

But even as he spoke, Zuko recognized the futility of his statement. The door they had entered by was locked fast and even if they had all the time in the world, it would've taken them a while to open it. Their only hope, it seemed, was to fight through the raven-like messenger, Colonel Kwo, and the eight remaining guards and escape through the door at the back of the room that Zuko assumed the soldiers had used to enter when the lights were off.

The only good news, he supposed, was Azula. At least she seemed to be helping him…for now.

"Azula! We need to get passed them!" Zuko said, gesturing at the Colonel.

His sister, however, was for all intents and purposes, ignoring him. Cackling almost merrily, she zigzagged across the room, launching fireball after fireball into the soldiers' midst. It seemed to be doing little more than distracting them, until she switched tactics and, with fists wreathed in flame, charged.

"Azula!" This time Zuko's plea was lost in the sounds of battle as he watched his sister run out in front of them.

"Come on!" It was Mai's voice that snapped him from his revere, as she dashed forward, only a step behind his sister.

Seeing his former ally charge, Colonel Kwo grinned, unsheathing the scimitars from his back and flexing his wrists, bathing each blade with fire from his bending. Stepping out from amongst his men, he met Azula head on.

It was a battle of cat and mouse. Azula's dance was quick and agile compared to the Colonel's heavy strikes. Her bending licked at Kwo's legs and danced along his arms as his blades flashed, clipping the stone floor, bathing the room in sparks.

For a moment, Zuko hesitated, wanting to help his sister, torn between duty and responsibility. However, it was Mai's call that spurred him to action.

Sidestepping Azula, he drew his own swords and waded into battle to engage the messenger.

The man's pale face and gaunt features belied his strength and he struck with the skill and precision of a practiced swordsman, his eyes seeming to glow with an unseen power. It took all of Zuko's considerable skill not to be killed in the opening seconds. Their blades clashed, one high, one low, faces inches apart before they disengaged. At such close quarters, Zuko's fire bending was almost useless. He was just as likely to hit his allies as he was his enemies.

Nun-Sing and his men pushed into the fray, keeping the stragglers from the Fire Lord's back, seemingly eager to demonstrate that Iroh's faith in them wasn't for naught. But Zuko hardly spared them a glance as he was driven back once again, his opponent scoring a shallow cut along his ribs.

"First blood," the messenger smiled, enjoying the Fire Lord's pained expression. "I was expecting more from someone of your…reputation."

Zuko didn't rise to the bait, striking out once again. In desperation he ignored his earlier misgivings and brought his fire bending into play, hoping to drive his opponent back and gain him a little space.

Meanwhile, Azula was doing only marginally better than her brother, though she seemed to enjoying the fight much more. Her flames licked constantly at the Colonel's arms, but he did little more than smile.

"Just another scar for my collection," he grunted. "Much appreciated, princess."

Azula just grinned, her laughter adding to the cacophony of battle. She redoubled her efforts, flames scorching the ceiling as she danced under one of Kwo's blades.

"You can't dodge forever," he taunted, swinging down towards Azula's right shoulder.

The princess rolled, but not quickly enough. One of the blades caught her ankle, sending her tumbling at Nun-Sing's feet.

Kwo didn't waste any time, following his attack up with a blast of fire that scorched Azula's shoulder. She cried out, her body twitching as it tried to rid itself of the excess heat.

The heavily scarred man walked over, his booted toe catching Azula in the ribs before he brought it down on her wrist. He didn't pause or stop to say anything, his eyes telling the entire story—he was going to enjoy killing her. In the sparks of bending and the clashes of steel on steel, his eyes shown with a manic intensity, his livid scar stretched in stark relief across his face.

Wordlessly, he brought his sword down for the final blow. Azula never looked away.

_Clang!_

Inches from her face, another sword interposed itself in the gap, deflecting Kwo's sword onto the stone floor beside her head. It was Nun-Sing.

The leader of the Jade Warriors leapt over the fallen princess, pressing his momentary advantage. His sword flashed once, twice, blocked both times by the Colonel's desperate defense.

Nun-Sing was a good fighter, what he lacked in quickness he made up for with precision, each blow aimed at extending his opponent's defenses farther and farther away from his body. But he was old, and experience only counted for so much in battles with youth.

From her fallen position, Azula used the back of her hand to wipe the blood from her lip, leaving a reddish smear in its wake. She got to her feet just in time to see him stumble.

After the Colonel had blocked his initial attacks, Nun-Sing was forced to retreat under a hail of blows. Kwo's sword flashed forward once again and the Jade Warrior was forced to block wide, overextending himself, leaving his torso vulnerable.

This time Kwo didn't hesitate, his remaining sword slipping forward to enter under Nun-Sing's sternum, exiting out his back. The stricken man fell forward, a surprised gasp escaping his lips. He was dead before Kwo kicked him to the floor.

* * *

If the Jade Warriors were affected by the death of their leader, Mai couldn't tell. The soldiers that had followed Zuko into the chamber were good men and strong fighters, but even they were slowly being overwhelmed. Of the original five, two were dead and one was limping badly after taking a sword across the back of his legs.

They had dispatched of most of the messenger's ten men when a panel of wall suddenly gave way from the back of the room and a fresh contingent of soldiers burst in. Mai bit back a curse, leave it to Zhao to have secret passageways strewn throughout his fortress.

"Incoming!" Mai called, throwing another wave of shurikens. Her soldiers ducked instinctively, trusting her accuracy, before pressing the attack once again. One blade found the soft flesh under the chin and the man toppled. With a look of distaste, Mai waded back into the fight.

* * *

The last few minutes had been hell for Zuko. The cut along his ribs felt like it had grown and two long gashes along his right arm had joined it. Were it not for the adrenaline flowing through his body, he was sure he would have collapsed long ago—and his enemy only seemed to be growing stronger.

The messenger attacked, swords flashing toward an opening once again. Zuko parried late as the offending blade drew a shallow furrow across his thigh. He hissed in pain, tasting blood.

"I had hoped the Fire Lord would present more of a challenge," his opponent taunted. "It seems I'm constantly being underwhelmed."

Zuko chose not to respond and iron met iron once again with a resounding clang. He pushed the tattooed man back once more, taking the offensive despite his weary body. He knew he couldn't last much longer—every man had his limits.

They disengaged once again and in an act of desperation he dropped his right sword, it clattered against the stone floor, oddly loud against the din of battle.

The messenger paused as Zuko took a new stance, his left arms outstretched, sword in hand, while from his right was bathed in flames.

After a moment, his opponent began to laugh—a deep, hacking cough that seemed to strain his sinewy body. His tattoos seemed to move, flickering in the off-light of the flame.

When he regained his voice it was hard, mirthless once again, but his eyes—they held a bit of question.

"Giving up already?"

Zuko shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"You wish."

Anger flared in his opponent, and Zuko set his jaw, waiting for the inevitable attack.

* * *

Azula wasn't fazed by Nun-Sing's death. She'd seen—and caused—much more in her lifetime than any living person would ever know. But when someone died in your place, ally or not, that made it personal.

The princess ignored the stabbing pains in her ankle and wrist as she attacked Colonel Kwo once again. She danced at a distance, her attacks sending streaks of fire at her opponent's torso. Kwo was quick and he dodged her first two attacks before a third found its mark, skirting his stomach as he turned away. Azula enjoyed watching him grimace.

The Colonel turned, steeling her with a glare before throwing both swords to the ground and setting his hands up in a guard position. She paused; her moment's hesitation was almost her last.

As the princess watched his swords clatter to the ground, Kwo moved quickly, his right hand thrust forward as he called on his fire bending. The fireball, aimed at Azula's head, missed by inches and scorched her hair before it impacted the wall behind them. But, by the time his second attack came, Azula was already moving, dodging to the left and closing the distance. Without his swords to attack her, she no longer needed to worry about getting too close—and she was very confident in her bending.

With an almost eerie familiarity, she felt herself slipping back to the Agni Ki she had fought with Zuko nearly four years ago. Fire bender against fire bender. Strength against strength.

She was so focused on her enemy, on slipping past his guard, she nearly missed Mai's anguished cry.

"Zuko!"

With a clever kick she disengaged, turning to see the messenger disarm her brother with an intricate flurry, his sword suddenly at his throat. Even as she sent a wave of fire in his direction, she knew it was too late.

Then, just as the messenger was about to lower the tip of his sword, Azula's world dissolved into smoke.

BOOM! BANG! BANG! BANG!

The blinding flash and staccato of explosives split the room and the earth seemed to sway, friend and foe stumbling, trying to steady themselves—the battle momentarily forgotten.

Azula had been thrown to the ground like many of the combatants when the explosions went off, and only now, precious seconds later, was she beginning to rise. Her head throbbed fiercely and her eyes watered from the thick layers of dust and dirt that had been thrown into the air. Conscious that she was still in the middle of a battle, she immediately began to scan the room, looking for the source of the explosives. There, in the far corner of the room, forgotten by nearly all, stood Yeh-Lu.

The princess cursed under her breath. She had been stupid, careless. She had assumed her fire blast had killed the man and had almost paid for it with her life. Her only solace was the fact that Yeh-Lu didn't appear to be much better off than the rest of them, slumped partially over, his free hand across his stomach. His disfigured, half-melted helmet had been tossed in the corner, the underlying skin of his face raw and red.

Stumbling to her feet, Azula almost tripped over the body of Colonel Kwo. Apparently he had taken the brunt of the blast, shielding her from the worst of it. Azula snorted, thanking the Spirits for their twisted sense of irony.

She made a move to pick up one of the Colonel's discarded swords from the floor when Zuko's pained voice cut through the haze,

"Azula! Let's go!"

Glancing up she noticed that one of Yeh-Lu's explosives had blown off some paneling on the back wall, revealing one of Zhao's many secret passage ways.

"Azula!" It was Mai this time. "Come on! We need to go before they all come around!"

Azula looked down. Mai was right, Colonel Kwo was indeed stirring and in minutes he would probably be back up, ready to continue fighting.

"Just a minute," she grunted, appalled at how weak her voice sounded. The fight shouldn't have taken that much out of her. "I need to finish this."

She walked toward the sword and picked it up.

"Azula! Leave him!" Zuko called, his voice strangely pleading.

"Not today brother. I'm going to end this now. Besides, he wouldn't show you the same mercy."

"It's not right! He's unarmed! You can't just kill him!"

"Maybe you can't, but I can." Azula's voice was hard as she stood over the fallen man.

"We need to go now," Zuko's voice was suddenly in her ear, his hand staying her arm. "You're not like this anymore. Just leave him."

"But he betrayed me! A _princess_ of the Fire Nation! He deserves to die!"

"Zuko," Mai suddenly cut in. "Leave her. There's nothing you can do."

The Fire Lord sighed, his hand dropping away as he stumbled his way over to Mai, limping slightly. Only two of the Jade Warriors had joined them.

"We're leaving," Zuko said, the strain evident in his voice, "if you kill him, don't follow us."

Azula sighed, staring down at the man below her. Of all the things he could've said…_stupid brothers_. In all honesty, she wanted to kill him—he probably deserved less than a relatively painless death—but if she wanted true revenge, she decided that she needed Zuko…for now.

The sword clattered to the ground, her decision made. With a shrug of indifference, she lurched after her brother.

* * *

"Spirits Mai! We've been down this hallway before!" Zuko snapped as he staggered to a stop behind her, brushing off the helping hand of one of the Jade Warriors.

Mai wheeled, the wild look in her eyes matching the dried blood that dotted her skin, "well then why don't you lead us! It's not like I have a map to this place!"

"And how am I supposed to do that with a leg that I can barely walk on!" Zuko countered.

"I don't know, you tell me! Apparently you're the one with all the answers!"

"Me! You seem to thi—"

"Excuse me, sir? Madam? We should probably keep moving." The two of them wheeled to see one of the Jade Warriors staring at them, suddenly timid under their combined gaze.

But before either one of them could respond, a voice spoke up from the back.

"They're just going to kill us anyway."

Zuko glanced up and scowled. There seemed an unspoken agreement to ignore Azula despite the fact that she had joined their group a few minutes ago. She appeared to be retaliating by being as negative as possible.

She caught her brother's look and smirked.

"You're right," he decided, speaking to the soldier, "let's move before they catch up. Mai…?" He proposed diplomatically.

His wife rolled her eyes but nodded, drawing a knife as she turned and once again began to navigate her way down the hall.

No more than five minutes later, Mai raised her hand, stopping the group again.

"Did you hear that?"

Everyone froze and for a moment nothing but the beating of his heart filled Zuko's ears.

"We're being followed." Mai whispered as she carefully made her way to the back of the group. The hall behind them seemed empty, dotted with nothing but a few alcoves and blood red curtains that Zhao must have been quite fond of.

Zuko bit back his protest and scanned the hall once again, carefully checking each nook and cranny. He had almost given up when one of the Jade Warriors grabbed his arm and pointed to a nearby curtain. At first glance, nothing had seemed amiss, but when Zuko looked down he noticed two bare feet poking out from a slightly lumpy portion of the fabric.

He nodded to Mai and on cue, both she and Azula raced toward the hiding place. Their tail didn't react until it was too late and Mai tackled the form, curtain and all, yanking it from its rod above. The two went down in a struggling heap, their captive flailing against the thick fabric for a moment before falling limp.

Zuko came over with his sword drawn as Mai began to unfold the curtain.

"Who are you and why are you…" His voice trailed off as the person's face came into the light. It wasn't the hardened expression of a soldier or the sneering mug of the messenger like he assumed it would be. Instead, he was faced with the stormy eyes of the boy who had betrayed him; the boy he had assumed was dead.

"Lee?" Zuko hissed, kneeling down, "what are you doing here?"

Lee, however, wasn't paying attention to the Fire Lord. His eyes looked past Zuko's shoulder and were firmly fixed on Azula's suddenly grinning face.

"W-W-What is s-she doing here?" He stammered.

"Lee!" Zuko said, ignoring the question, "what are you doing here? Why were you following us?"

The boy's wide eyes snapped back to Zuko, his voice suddenly bordering on hysterical.

"S-she's going to kill you! S-she's going to kill us all! D-don't let her near me!"

"Oh _please_." Azula's voice rose above Lee's frightened sobs, "as if I would waste my time with you."

"B-but Kotoru said…"

"That fool?" Azula laughed, "he only told you those stories to make sure you obeyed. I'm sure whatever he said wasn't true."

"H-he said you f-fed one of the men to a moose-lion because he called your father a murderer."

"Oh, well I suppose I did do that," Azula shrugged, unconcerned. "But honestly, you shouldn't believe everything you hear. You see everyone naturally assumes that Zuzu here is a hero, but when we were younger he actu—"

"_Azula!"_ Zuko glared up at her.

"_Sorry_ brother," Azula drawled, smiling dangerously. "And no, before you ask, I don't know why the little brat is here."

The Fire Lord rolled his eyes and turned back to Lee. "Why are you here?" He repeated for the third time.

Lee's eyes darted briefly from Zuko to Azula before he managed to find his voice.

"It was Kotoru. Back when we were travelling in the desert by my village, he told me and the other kids about this place. He said we were to go here if we were ever separated—that Xui Li would know what to do."

"Xui Li?" Mai's voice cut in.

A shadow passed over Lee's eyes, "Yeah, you know…tall, really pale, with some nasty tattoos on his arms. He calls himself the messenger…I'm not sure why though."

Zuko nodded, "we've met him. But that still doesn't explain why you're following us."

"Look," Lee glanced down, his voice sullen, "I just wanted to help you. I want to get out of here."

Mai snorted, "you weren't too keen to leave the last time we tried to help. Why should we trust you now?"

"Because I…I know stuff," Lee pleaded. "The other kids and I, well…we talk even though we're not supposed to…and I hear stuff. Important stuff. This other kid, Ri, he said he left a letter for the avatar himself, and Miao was even sent to Ba Sing Se."

"Sent?" Zuko frowned.

"We're the real messengers," Lee stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "That's why Xui Li had Kotoru kidnap us."

"He threatens their families," Azula broke in. "If they don't listen, he just sends soldiers and takes what he wants."

"Soldiers like you?" Mai's voice was cold.

"Sometimes."

Zuko looked down at the dirty, frightened boy before him, "we'll get you out, don't worry."

Lee seemed to briefly sag with relief before returning to his trademark sullenness, "then let me go. There's no way you're ever going to find your way out without me. This place is a maze."

Zuko rolled his eyes but nodded, and let the boy up.

"This way," Lee motioned. "And hurry—Xui Li won't be far behind."

Without looking back to see if they were following, Lee brushed past the Fire Lord and began jogging down the hall.

Three turns later Zuko was already lost, each hall and doorway looked alike, and to make matters worse, he thought he could hear the rumble of soldiers behind them.

"Quick! In here!" Lee hissed, opening a door off the hall. Everyone shoved inside, and Mai closed the door with a soft click. Seconds later, armor clattered outside their door and they heard a voice barking orders. No one dared breathe until they were sure the soldiers had left. Mai opened the door a crack.

"We're all clear. Let's go Lee."

The boy didn't immediately answer, but instead was rummaging around in the room's single trunk, muttering to himself. "It's in here somewhere…come on….where is it?"

"Lee?" Zuko called, "let's go."

"Just second," the boy snapped, waving a hand at Zuko without looking up, "there's something in here that you'll want to see."

"We don't have time," Mai said, grabbing his upper arm and pulling.

Suddenly Lee jerked upright, a scroll clutched in his fist. "Found it! Here you go."

He shoved the document into Mai's stomach, and sulked back to the doorway. Carefully, Mai unrolled the parchment, aware that Zuko was behind her, looking over her shoulder. Halfway through reading it for a third time, Zuko glanced sharply over at Mai,

"This handwriting matches that message we received. This has to be from the same person!" He turned to Lee, "Where did you get this?"

The ground suddenly seemed very interesting to the young boy and he wouldn't meet Zuko's eyes, "it was my next job. Xui Li gave it to me this morning and told me to leave, but when I saw him getting ready for you…well…I stuck around hoping you would help me."

"And you had no idea what this said?"

"No…" Lee trailed off, trying hard not to look too interested. "What's it say?"

"It's a message from Xui Li to someone called Shong Ti. He says his master's plans are complete and that Xui Li is to meet him in some place called the Twisting Serpent after he finishes killing us all—Azula included."

"The Twisting Serpent?" Lee asked.

"It's a tavern in the middle ring of Ba Sing Se." Azula growled, her voice suddenly hard.

"It's what!" Zuko exclaimed.

Azula shrugged. "I'm not exactly sure why it's important, but it was the place I met Shong Ti before he sent Kotoru and me out hunting."

Zuko ran a tired hand through his hair. "So what you're telling me is this that Xui Li and Shong Ti used Azula as bait to lure us here and kill us on _someone else's_ orders?"

Mai grunted, "looks like it."

"Well, when we get out of here our next stop is going to be Ba Sing Se. I think we need to investigate this Shong Ti character," Zuko said.

"You talk. I'm going to kill him," Azula smiled.

Mai rolled her eyes, "let's worry about that after we get out of here…Lee, can you get us outside?"

The young boy nodded, "but what about the rest of the kids that are locked up in here?"

Mai stopped abruptly, "there are more of you?"

"About twenty," Lee said.

"Look Lee," Zuko sighed, "we don't have time to get them right now…besides, they're probably safer in here if we have to fight our way out."

"Bu—"

"Lead the way!" Azula cut him off, "or we won't have a use for you anymore."

Lee gulped and looked away, completely missing the glare Zuko sent his sister. "T-this way," he stuttered, "we're almost out."

The small group exited Lee's room and proceeded cautiously along the strangely empty halls until they approached an ornate, gold-plated doorway.

"This will lead us out," Lee said. "Are you ready?"

Zuko nodded and drew his swords before stepping into the harsh sunlight. It took only a moment to wish he hadn't.

Arrayed in front of their group were the hundreds of soldiers they had passed on the way in, each dressed for battle and looking like they were expecting them.

"So you thought you could escape me, Fire Lord?" A voice hissed from behind Zuko.

Zuko whirled but saw nothing. The hallway behind them was still empty.

"No you fool, down here!" Suddenly, he felt a boot behind his knee and he was tossed unceremoniously to the ground.

Zuko spun, his sword ready, only to find himself staring into the milky white, pupil-less eyes of Lee.

"Lee…?" Zuko said, his voice clearly betraying his shock.

A sinister smile broke over Lee's face, "who better to trick the Fire Lord than a stupid little boy?"

Zuko watched in horror as Lee's face scrunched up, sweat beading his brow. For a moment, the boy was back, his eyes normal once again, "r-run…I-I can't h-hold him long."

He fell to the ground, his body flailing on the hard flagstone. After a moment, the fit passed, but the cold voice was back, "do not resist me boy! You only hasten your end."

"Leave him be!" Zuko shouted, eerily reminded of his conversation with Kotoru. "It's me you want!"

"It is," the voice said once again through Lee's body. "But Lee cannot escape his punishment. He should have realized that I would know when he ran off this morning."

Lee's body collapsed once again, and Zuko couldn't help but reach out and steady the boy's shivering limbs. "L-leave me," he whimpered with his last moments of sanity. "I-I'm not going to make it."

"It doesn't matter. It's too late now."

This time the voice didn't come from Lee's mouth, but from Xui Li as he strode into view from behind the line of men. With a wordless smile, he extended his hand and Lee's spasms worsened, a dark shadow seeming to seep from every pore, slowly coalescing in a halo around his body. After a moment, the shaking stopped and Lee's body became limp.

The shadow seemed to rise up, defying the sunlight, and disappear into Xui Li's outstretched hand.

"Good," he said. "Now that that unpleasantness is over with, we can get back to killing you."

Zuko watched in horror as the soldiers split once again to allow a battered, but still strong Yeh-Lu and Colonel Kwo to come to the head of their ranks.

"It's just not our day, is it?" He muttered out of the side of his mouth.

Mai snorted. The situation was morbidly amusing. "If this is going to be it, let's make it count."

Even Azula smiled, "I can die to that."

"Together then?" Zuko asked. They all nodded.

But before they could even charge, a low call, not unlike the lowing of a cow-hippo, carried over the mass of warriors. Zuko looked up, surprised to see a familiar white cloud of striped fur and six legs clear the outer wall.

Aang had come, and not a moment too soon.

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**The next chapter won't take so long...I promise! (cue eye rolling). Thanks for reading, please review!**


	35. A Rescue and a Plan

**What! A timely update! Shocking I know. Hopefully this makes up for a bit of my (very) tardy last few chapters. Anyways, I'm feeling pretty motivated to get this story across the finish line so hopefully the updates keep coming like this one.**

**Thanks as always to those of you that read and reviewed last time.**

**Enjoy!  
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* * *

A Rescue and a Plan**

"Aang," Sokka called, waving vaguely at the air in front of him, "as much as I have learned to love your spiritual mumbo-jumbo, would it kill you to ask for directions next time?"

"We're close," Aang snapped. "I can feel it."

"_Oooohhh_, hear that Snoozles? Twinkletoes _feels_ something now."

Sokka rolled his eyes, glancing down at the blind earthbender next to him. He couldn't keep the smile from his face—it had been a long time since he'd heard Toph's trademark sarcasm. It was good to see her opening up once again.

Unfortunately the avatar's feelings were rarely wrong so Sokka pried himself from the back of Appa's saddle and peered over the edge, looking out at the forest below. The trees seemed to blend together into a green carpet, only broken by the occasional brown clearing or sparkling stream. Craning his neck, he looked forward,

"Aang! What's that up ahead? Is that some sort of building?"

Aang nodded. Ahead of them the trees stopped abruptly, leaving a dirty, burnt halo around the outer wall of a huge fortress—a monolith of metal that stood in stark contrast to the foliage they had just flown over. It was a picture Aang knew only too well.

"That's where we're going," Aang hazarded. "Mai and Zuko have to be there."

"I smell smoke." It was Toph this time, sitting forward, clearly ready to move. "It could be firebenders."

When they cleared the first of the three walls, Aang knew Toph was right. Zuko, Mai, and a few others were standing at the base of the fortress surrounded by a group soldiers. As Appa flew closer, Aang let out a gasp…the Yu Yan archers! If they were here then Colonel Kwo was bound to be as well! Maybe this was the "power" he had mentioned in their earlier encounter.

They had almost reached the inner courtyard when Aang knew what he had to do.

"Sokka!" he called. "Take the reins!"

But before Sokka could even respond, Aang leapt, staff held high, into the waiting crowd below.

Sokka scrambled for the reins, quickly bringing Appa around. The air suddenly filled with arrows.

"I hate it when he does that." He mumbled, swiftly setting the sky-bison down on top of the wall. "Come on Toph," he said, eyeing the archers that were suddenly racing toward them, "we've got some fire nation butt to kick."

Toph answered with a grin, her hand slipping lightly into Sokka's as they leapt. For a moment, he was in complete control, guiding her to the earth, but once she was there…well, then she was in her element.

From the moment her bare feet touched the top of the stone wall, she was unstoppable. Boulders flew. Left. Right. Center. The archers never had a chance.

"Awww, Toph. But I wanted to get one," Sokka whined, stepping over a fallen body.

Toph punched him in the arm. "Better luck next time, Snoozles. Now, let's get down there and help Aang. It feels like he has his hands full."

* * *

Aang's leap couldn't have been timed more perfectly. Just as Xui Li had moved to attack Zuko, the avatar had landed in their midst, a wave of earthbending suddenly upending most of the men.

"Aang!" Zuko called, limping down the steps to stand beside him, "I don't know why you're here, but thanks."

The avatar flashed him a quick smile, "thank the Spirits. They were the ones who told me to come."

"The Spirits! Ha!"

Aang whirled. He would recognize that voice anywhere. "Azula."

"Yes, avatar." She sauntered forward, favoring her ankle slightly, "surprised?"

Zuko rolled his eyes before stepping between them. "We can talk about this later, but for now, she's with me. Ok?"

Aang's eyebrows pinched together, glancing back at Azula twice before nodding. He turned to glance at the ground before him only to find Xui Li picking himself up, spitting in disgust.

"Thank you for joining us, Avatar Aang. You've saved me the trouble of finding you after I dispose of the Fire Lord and his worthless wife."

"I only came for my friends. Let us go. I don't want to hurt you." Nevertheless, his staff was pointed unwaveringly at the man.

"What you want doesn't matter," Xui Li said, allowing Colonel Kwo and Yeh-Lu to join him. "And you're not going anywhere. Surrender and I promise you a relatively painless death."

But before Aang even had a chance to respond, Colonel Kwo drew his ivory bow from his back and knocked an arrow, letting fly straight for the avatar.

Aang's staff twitched and a quick blast of air diverted the arrow. It stuck with a loud _bang_, quivering in the side of the fortress above him. For a moment, no one moved. Then, as one, the soldiers began to charge, a wave of angry cries building slowly until Aang lost himself in the tide of battle.

Years of fighting had taught the avatar the many rhythms of war, and this battle was no exception. He had an answer for each sword, a rock for every arrow, but for every man that fell, another seemed to take his place.

He heard Zuko's cries and turned to find him when he felt the heat from one of Yeh-Lu's explosives scorch his back. Instinctively, he sent a gust of air behind him as he turned, driving the Rough Rhino's second attack harmlessly away.

In the briefest of moments, the battle seemed to slow and the two combatants sized each other up. Yeh-Lu, his armor scorched and dented, was clearly the lesser of the two, but unlike Aang, he had no reservations. He was here to kill the avatar, whatever it took.

Three more explosives were in his hand in an instant, two rolling toward Aang's feet while another lobbed in from above. Some quick earthbending disposed of the two ankle-biters, while a plume of flame prematurely exploded the one coming at his head. The detonation shook the battlefield, blinding everyone nearby.

Extending his senses, Aang shifted to the right, a whip of water dashing a rather feeble attempt at a surprise attack. A kick to the sternum silenced another soldier before Aang felt Yeh-Lu again. This time he went on the offensive, pillars of stone shooting out at the man's knees, sending him sprawling to the ground.

Aang heard a grunt and a discarded faceplate suddenly went whizzing by his head. When the smoke cleared, he stoically met the hollow eyes and tortured flesh that had lain beneath the mask. Yeh-Lu was breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his face. In his hand, he held a lit device. Aang eyed it warily.

"Don't do it." He said. "It won't work."

The man's eyes gleamed in hatred and his arm moved to throw again.

Aang's hand shot out, his foot twisting into the ground. A slab of earth suddenly shot up in front of the man, catching the device mid-arc. In the seconds he had, Aang saw Yeh-Lu's eyes widen in surprise as the bomb wobbled back towards him. He managed one step before it exploded.

When the dust finally cleared, Aang looked down. Yeh-Lu was dead.

* * *

The leap down from the top of the wall to the battle below wasn't as far as it looked…at least when you had Toph's earthbending. They had both jumped and just when Sokka was sure they were going to splat rather unceremoniously on the packed dirt below, the ground seemed to grab at them, swallowing them up for a moment before setting them almost lightly back on the surface.

"Toph…that was…amazing!" Sokka exclaimed once he had gotten hold of himself.

"Yeah, yeah," Toph waved him off, a slight blush suddenly coloring her face. "Less talking, more fighting."

With that she was off again, leaving Sokka standing there in shock, almost wondering if their conversation had even actually happened.

He scrambled after her, his sword glinting in the light. In typical Toph-fashion, they were charging towards the thickest bunch of enemies without even hesitating. With his longer legs, he finally caught up with her, but not before she had dispatched of a trio of soldiers and was in the process of dismantling a group of particularly feisty sandbenders. One seemed to forget that Toph was blind, and conjured a blanket of sand to cover both Sokka and her.

The cover was good for Toph but bad for Sokka. Whenever he felt like someone was near, he wanted to strike out, but he held back for fear of accidentally hitting Toph instead. His hesitancy almost cost him his life as a blade suddenly appeared out of the cloud of sand aimed straight at his midsection. Almost miraculously, a stone seemed to rise up off the ground at the last second and bat it away. Then Toph was next to him.

"Are you actually going to fight?" She shouted, "or just stand there all day? Because as much as I enjoy kicking their butts, it's getting old having to protect yours too."

"Well, maybe if I could see!" Sokka snapped back.

Toph paused for a moment, "fine!" She huffed, and with a quick motion, the obscuring sand disappeared, leaving Sokka with a clear view of the battlefield. For the moment, everyone seemed to be giving them a wide berth.

_Whack!_

"Owww! Toph…what was that for?" Sokka whined, rubbing his arm once again.

"I'm blind, doofus," she snorted. "And not everyone needs their eyes to see, you know."

"Well, I do," Sokka sniffed.

Toph threw her hands up in exasperation, "you're impossible! Now, let's go find some more bad guys."

And with that, she waded back into the fight, Sokka not far behind.

* * *

As Aang turned from Yeh-Lu, he hoped his part in the battle would be over soon. As many of his previous lives had told him, he was a gentle spirit, not at home on the battlefield. But when he turned he found himself face to face with another grotesquely familiar sight.

Colonel Kwo's marred face was twisted into a smile as he regarded his fallen ally with obvious disdain.

"Good riddance," he spat before turning to Aang. "I suppose I should thank you for getting rid of him…but then again, when has the avatar ever done anything for me?"

His eyes seemed to darken when they met Aang's. The sweat from his brow muddied his war paint, running bloody streaks down his face. It dripped into his mouth, bathing his teeth in red. Calmly, he drew his bow and fired.

By the time the arrow had reached him, Aang was already moving, a burst of air-enabled speed closing the distance between him and the Yu Yan leader rapidly. Kwo was able to fire once more before he dove to the side, drawing his curved blades in one motion.

This time, Aang didn't charge, opting to bring a boulder in from behind the Colonel's head, hoping to catch him by surprise. Kwo, however, anticipated the maneuver and quickly dispatched of the rock.

Charging, the larger man closed the distance between them, swinging his swords with enough strength to cleave the avatar in two. His swing came up empty and he turned, only to be struck by the full force of one of Aang's water whips.

Spinning around, he resisted the urge to rub the large welt on his side. Instead, a feral roar escaped his lips. Fire shot from his hands, engulfing both him and Aang.

Aang shot quickly upward, working the air currents to drive most of the flames away. He landed unharmed, tossing his charred tunic aside and setting himself for Kwo's next attack.

The enraged Colonel seemed to glow for a moment, his eyes sparking before flinging a massive blast of flame at the avatar. Aang rolled to the side and the fire burned past his shoulder, incinerating two men who had apparently been trying to sneak up on him while he was fighting Kwo.

Now Aang went on the offensive, his own firebending matching the intensity of his opponent. The ebb and flow of battle began to take over, both of them trading kicks and bruises as they strove to gain the upper hand. Finally, with a clever twist of his wrist, Aang shot a pillar of rock into the Colonel's lower back, bending him over. He followed this up with blast of air to his chin and a kick to his sternum.

When the dust finally settled, Colonel Kwo lay unmoving, but alive, on the ground before him. Aang paused for a moment to catch his breath, and then, with a slight grimace of disgust, went back to the battle.

* * *

"Did you enjoy your young friend's death?" Xui Li smirked, dodging Zuko's fire blast. "He was particularly easy to control. Weak minded, always wanting to please…almost like he truly believed you were going to rescue him."

"I'm. Going. To. Kill. You." Zuko ground out, punctuating each word with an attack.

The Fire Lord's response only seemed to please his opponent, as he rolled under a wave of fire. He came up inside Zuko's guard and kicked him solidly in the chest.

Zuko groaned. He was hardly in fighting shape after the battle in the audience chamber. He tried to get up, but his injured leg gave way, and he was forced to scramble backwards on his hands and knees to escape the advancing Xui Li.

"What are you?" The question was more out of desperation than anything else, a ploy to throw his opponent off balance.

Xui Li, however, just smiled, twirling his swords. "Me? I'm just like you, Fire Lord—a player in a larger game. But you see, I control people much more effectively than you do. That shadow…the shade that was slowly seeping the life from Lee's very pours…that was my doing. And after we are victorious, I will become even more powerful thanks to Him. But until then," he smiled down at Zuko, "I think I'll have to make do with killing you."

As the tattooed man moved in for another attack, Zuko sent another desperate wave of fire at him. Xui Li just laughed.

"Is that the best you can do? Are you all the Fire Nation has to offer?"

He began to move in for the kill, dodging and deflecting Zuko's attacks with a focused intent. He was almost upon him when Mai's shuriken found his shoulder.

Xui Li hissed, spinning with the blow and coming up with swords raised. They struck the air and another knife was deflected.

Mai came in low now, her knives biting at his feet and injured arm. She forced him to keep moving away from Zuko, not letting him gain the ground he had won earlier. The messenger ducked again, dropping one of his swords to grab a shield off a fallen warrior and setting it between them.

Now it was his turn to advance, his shield covering most of his torso and neck, leaving Mai to pick at his exposed feet and shins. Mai began to retreat, her barrage of knives not lessened by the movement. She picked away at the edges, whizzing a shuriken past Xui Li's ear before reaching down with one hand and levering Zuko to her shoulder.

"Come on," she grunted. "Get moving."

Zuko staggered to his feet, wincing as pain shot down his leg. Nevertheless, he set his arms at ready and bent a stream of fire at their opponent's face. The man merely brushed it aside with his shield, his pace suddenly quickening as he moved in to striking range once again. He sprang toward the duo, his sword flashing in the air.

Mai's desperate shove was the only thing that saved her husband as Xui Li's sword dug a deep furrow in the ground where he had been standing. Xui Li brought his shield up, catching two more of Mai's knives on its rim before turning to finish Zuko. He stepped forward to strike and suddenly was blown back by a wall of blue flame.

He stood slowly, spitting dirt from his mouth. He eyed Azula warily as she approached, his eyes darting between the three of them.

Suddenly a soldier came up from behind, clearly panicked.

"Sir!" he exclaimed. "The Colonel is down and Xeh-Lu is dead. What should we do?"

The news clearly surprised Xui Li, and his body seemed to tense, waiting for the strike that never came. After a moment, he found his voice.

"Uhh…regroup with the remaining men. We'll still be able to overwhelm them with our numbers."

He raised his shield, deflecting another knife from Mai all the while edging away from the two women.

"Sir, the avatar is destroying our forces! We don't last much longer! We have to surrender!" The soldier's voice was urgent now and he kept wiping his palms on his pant legs. He barely seemed to recognize that he was still in the middle of a battle. "I'm go—"

The man's voice abruptly stopped and he clawed at his throat, gasping for breath. His disbelieving hands fingered the knife that suddenly appeared there. His eyes travelled briefly to Xui Li, then to the gaunt, white hand that was wiping a trail of blood off on his shirt. Xui Li said nothing, grabbing the man and shoving him in the direction of Azula and Mai before he turned and sped off amongst the rapidly dwindling crowd of soldiers.

Mai caught the man before he hit the earth, a look of apology on her brow. When he finally did die, her hand skimmed his face, closing his eyes one final time. Azula, however, had not stopped but instead was racing after Xui Li, her blue fire blazing a path between the fighting men.

Despite his fighting prowess, Xui Li appeared very adept at retreating. Mai watched as he eluded Azula, shoving his own men into her path before scaling the wall with almost inhuman skill and disappearing into the outlying forest.

A few minutes later Azula came back, breathing hard.

"That good-for-nothing, conniving, piece o—"

"Azula." Mai cut in, stopping her mid-rant. "We'll get him. We know where he's going, remember? Now, let's see if Zuko is alright."

Azula scowled, but nodded, and together they went to help the Fire Lord to his feet.

* * *

Once Xui Li had fled, the fight seemed to drain from the remaining men and women, and almost unilaterally, they surrendered. In groups they threw down their weapons and fell to their knees. Slowly, Zuko became the tallest figure on the battlefield.

Aang, he noticed, was slowly picking his way over, pausing now and then to earthbend the discarded weapons into a pile on the opposite side of the clearing. Sokka was arguing about what seemed to be a thin cut on Toph's arm and the younger girl was clearly having none of it. Zuko couldn't help but smile when Toph's trademark punch landed on that much abused spot on her friend's arm. Sokka rubbed the mark slowly, a smile on his face. It seemed the two of them were getting along better than ever…though, if he wasn't mistaken, there might've been something more on Sokka's mind than simply the same friendship the two had always had.

Mai had come to stand beside him as Azula prowled over, her demeanor that of a moose-lion examining its prey. It also looked like a good bit of the remaining Jade Warriors had survived the battle, their numbers adding to the avatar's suddenly growing ranks.

For a moment, everything was peaceful.

"Aang," Zuko reached out and gripped the avatar's hand. "You've always had great timing."

Aang's boyish grin showed before he pulled the Fire Lord into a hug, "I'm just glad I got here when I did. It looked like you were in a bit of trouble."

"Yeah, it always seems to find you, doesn't it Sparky?" Toph's smirk was plastered wide across her face, her arms loosely crossed over her chest.

"It does, doesn't it?" Zuko agreed before turning back to Aang. "So, how did you guys know we were here? We've kept our travels pretty quiet."

"Oh, you know. Just your typical Spirit World mumbo-jumbo," Sokka cut in, rolling his eyes. "And don't give Aang too much credit; he didn't actually know where you were. It was more like 'fly in that general direction' than a trip to a destination."

Even Mai's mouth quirked into a smile at that remark.

"So, what now?" Sokka said, asking the obvious question.

"I say we go after that guy!" Toph exclaimed, her fist smacking into an open palm. "I've been looking for a good fight for ages. Snoozles here isn't much of a match for me anymore."

"Hey!"

"I mean, it might be a fair fight if I didn't use my bending and had one arm tied behind my back." Toph continued, "but even then I'd probably win."

Zuko raised an eyebrow meaningfully at Aang as the two "friends" dissolved into another squabble. Aang just rolled his eyes, glancing over at the pair once more before turning to the Fire Lord, his face suddenly downcast.

"I'm sorry for running, Zuko…after Katara was taken…I—I didn't know what to do. I panicked."

"Aang." The avatar looked up and met the Fire Lord's eyes. "It's ok. Though, I hope you know I would've done everything in my power to help you."

Aang nodded.

"Now," Zuko said, "tell me what happened. Start from the beginning."

Slowly, and with a little coaxing from his friend, Aang began to tell Zuko of their journey, starting with the first letter and Kyoshi Island and ending with his trip to the Spirit World and their flight to the fortress. Every so often Zuko would stop him, asking a question or wanting a clarification, but mostly he just listened. When Aang was done speaking, he paused.

"Mai, do you have that scroll?"

His wife nodded and pulled Lee's slightly tattered parchment from inside her tunic and handed it him.

"This," Zuko said, handing the scroll to Aang, "was given to me by Lee…the boy you saw killed on the steps. He claims it's a message between Xui Li and a man named Shong Ti."

Aang's eyes widened. "And you think this is the same person that has been sending me the letters?"

Zuko shrugged, "it might be, but I don't think we have much choice. The Twisting Serpent in Ba Sing Se the best lead we've got."

Aang nodded, looking over at a now quiet Sokka and Toph. They had been listening intently ever since he had finished his story.

"I think it's a good idea," Sokka said. "It's not like we have another plan…unless of course the Spirits told you something else?"

The avatar shook his head.

"Typical."

"And you'll be coming with us?" Aang added hopefully.

Zuko looked back at Mai and Azula before answering, "I think so. The soldiers should be able to guard the prisoners until help arrives. Besides," he added ruefully, "it'll be good to get off our feet for a bit. For once, Appa doesn't look so bad."

The sky-bison's indignant snort carried well across the clearing. Aang chuckled.

"Well, let's get moving then. It'll be good to see Iroh. Maybe he's brewed a new tea for us to try."

Mai rolled her eyes. "Only if we're lucky," she drawled.

With a burst of air, the avatar leapt astride Appa, impatient to be flying again. With a sigh, Zuko followed, climbing aboard the hairy beast, turning only to help a strangely quiet Azula.

Dusk came quickly to once they were in the air but before he dropped off to sleep, Zuko couldn't help but feel a nagging bit of worry. They were missing something. He was sure of it. The only question was what.

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**So what did you think? A lot of action, a little Tokka...not too bad eh? Anyways, thanks for reading. Please review!**


	36. The Calm before the Storm

**Hey, I'm back! Another chapter from what hopefully is becoming an increasingly interesting plot line. We're almost there though, my guess is this story is 3-5 chapters from it's conclusion, so hopefully you're enjoying it. Thanks as always for your reviews, and patience.

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**The Calm before the Storm**

The air whistled passed Sokka's face as he stared out over the top of Appa's head. The night was quiet but clear, the moon glinting down on the tired travelers from above, its soft light bathing the world in a silver caress.

Sokka guided Appa through the moonlight, spelling Aang for a bit and allowing the avatar to get some much needed rest. Their small group planned to be in Ba Sing Se in time for afternoon tea the next day. Once they were in the city, they would have a day to prepare for their meeting with Xui Li and the infamous Shong Ti.

The day after was the summer solstice—and at its mention, Aang's usually cheerful face had scrunched in worry. If Sokka didn't miss his guess, the avatar's trip to the Spirit World had rattled him, and somehow, the solstice was connected to all their pain.

The water tribe warrior sighed and tried to shift in the saddle, stretching his battle-weary body. He desperately wanted to sleep but the scrapes and bruises he had accumulated in the fight didn't seem to want to let him. For now it appeared as if he would have to be content to wait.

In the silence, he glanced down at the small form beside him. Toph lay curled against his side, the gentle rise and fall of her chest drawing a smile—for all her tenacity in battle, she painted quite the angelic picture when she slept.

Sokka watched her for a few moments longer, his hand rising unconsciously to brush a stray strand of hair from her cheek. Toph stirred slightly at his touch but didn't wake and Sokka blew out a breath he didn't know he had been holding, his mind suddenly far from the task at hand.

This girl—no, this young woman—seemed to occupy far too much of his mind and Sokka didn't quite know what to make of it. In his heart of hearts he might have, but he wasn't even sure if he was even ready to admit his feelings to himself yet.

He liked Toph and he'd known that for a long time, but when that attraction had changed from feelings of friendship to something more…that was something he needed to figure out. It certainly hadn't been sudden nor had there been an abrupt epiphany, but it was something he just _knew_.

And now, with another battle seemingly imminent, he was worried. Sure it was easy to smile along with her as she raved about bashing the heads of some Fire Nation soldiers, but actually watching her do it…well, that was something else. He'd fought with her so many times and thought nothing of it, but suddenly, she was more than just another friend to fight alongside…he wanted to protect her…and if something needed protecting, well that meant it was vulnerable.

Sokka sighed, knuckling his eyes and trying to stem the onset of another headache. It was much too late to be thinking such lofty thoughts—his mind just wasn't quite up to the task. So for the moment he relegated his feelings for Toph to the back of his mind, letting them be for now, knowing he was only prolonging the inevitable.

* * *

They reached Ba Sing Se in the early afternoon just as they had predicted with Appa setting down right behind the Jasmine Dragon. Before the group had even finished dismounting, the happy, but weathered face of the shop's proprietor appeared in the doorway. Despite the growing curve of his belly, Iroh's smile seemed fit as ever.

"Zuko!" He exclaimed, engulfing his nephew in a back-breaking embrace, "how are you?" He greeted everyone enthusiastically—even Azula—before gesturing for them all to come inside. It wasn't until a fresh pot of tea was set on the table that he asked, "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"

Now it was Zuko's turn to pause as he stared into his untouched cup of tea, the pleasant aroma of herbs and spices doing nothing to calm his nerves. After a moment he spoke, carefully avoiding the meaningful glances Mai was sending his way.

"It seems you were right again Uncle," he began.

At this Iroh stopped and laughed, his warmth permeating the room. "Then I suppose this old age has been good for something. Though," he turned serious now, sitting forward to examine his nephew's face, "I don't think you came all this way to tell me that."

A smile ghosted over Zuko's lips before he wet them and continued, "it involves a man you've already met, Shong Ti, and a conspiracy that we believe crosses even _worldly_ lines." A confirming glance from Aang gave him the motivation to go on. "Through what Aang and Azula have said, we believe that Shong Ti is trying to coerce a spirit to cross over into our world."

Any trace of mirth left on Iroh's face when Zuko had begun to talk now promptly disappeared. One hand idly played along the rim of his teacup as he thought.

"But…that would be impossible…unless of course one were to obtain resources from the Dragon Bone Catacombs themselves…" He glanced sharply up at Zuko, who nodded.

"He's seen work of Fire Lord Liang-shek."

"Do you know what this means!" Iroh snapped.

The group nodded, the tension in the room palpable.

"Have you been to the Spirit World?" He asked Aang.

The avatar looked down briefly before speaking up, "I have. I talked with Avatar Kuruk…he said the Spirits of Old have convened…and that Koh is stirring."

For once Iroh didn't respond immediately, swirling the dregs of his tea. "I need to know more. Tell me everything. Leave nothing out, and start at the beginning."

Gradually, the group spoke, each taking a turn, telling Iroh of the adventures they had had. No detail was spared, not even by Azula, trusting in the wisdom and experience of a man many of them viewed as a mentor and father.

When they finished, they all stared expectantly at him as if expecting the answer to pop right out. Instead, he smiled, patting his belly contently as he leaned back in his chair.

"You know what a situation like this calls for? More tea!"

And with that, he motioned the server over, ignoring Zuko's groan and Mai's arched eyebrow, content for the moment to enjoy one of his favorite delicacies as he grappled with yet another of his nephew's many problems.

* * *

The exterior of the Twisting Serpent was nondescript, typical of Ba Sing Se's middle ring. The faded green paint was peeling under the merciless rays of the hot sun, the faint stench of alcohol from the night before wafting on the breeze. The black snake emblazoned on the tavern's front was curled around a frothing tankard, smiling sinisterly down on the passersby.

To Zuko, it looked too friendly.

They had agreed to stake out the tavern after a lengthy discussion—and many cups of tea. The decision had been made that Azula would accompany both Aang and Zuko into the tavern under the guise of travelers weary from a long day.

The plan had worked well so far. They had arrived in the middle of the afternoon, staking out a dark corner so their faces would be nearly unrecognizable in the shadows.

It had only been three hours and yet Zuko couldn't wait for it to be over. Aang was clearly nervous as well, his leg bouncing up and down under the table, occasionally smashing the Fire Lord's toes. In all honesty, Zuko didn't blame him, but it was irritating nonetheless.

The letter Aang had received had told him not to appear at the Twisting Serpent until the next day—the day of the solstice—but Lee's scroll clearly said Shong Ti would be there the day before. And, while he couldn't confirm his suspicions, both he and Aang believed he was the one who had been sending the letters.

Zuko sighed as Aang stomped on his foot once again, barely mumbling an apology as he glanced around the nearly empty tavern. Azula just smirked, leaning back, her eyes half closed as if asleep. Only she would enjoy this.

After another hour of waiting, Zuko glanced out the small window. It was getting late and people were beginning to trickle in. Soon the large, after-dinner crowd would be here, and that was when he expected Shong Ti and Xui Li to show up. A loud, boisterous bar would be the perfect cover for any illicit conversations and dealings.

Aang too had perked up as he began to study the newcomers. A couple times Zuko had to reign in his enthusiasm; he didn't want the entire tavern to know they were looking for someone.

Just as the sun finally set over the outer wall of the city and semi-gloom of night settled over the bar, a lone, cloaked figure walked in. Zuko couldn't see anything besides the man's chalky white hands, but his steady gait was not that of a drunkard's. The man stopped at the bar, motioning to the bartender and slipping him a few coins when two drinks appeared. He settled himself at a nearby table, his back to Zuko, clearly waiting for someone.

He sipped his drink slowly, his hood obscuring his face. His left hand played idly with a spare coin, tapping it against the chipped surface of the wooden table every few seconds. A few other patrons darkened the tavern's door, but still the man didn't stir. For a moment, Zuko wondered if he was even worth watching at all.

The door opened again, and this time the Fire Lord's attention was drawn to the man standing at the entrance. Tall and lean with an aristocratic demeanor, this man didn't appear to be part of the Twisting Serpent's usual clientele. Jet black hair pulled back into a severe ponytail that nearly matched his olive skin, the man exuded an air of contempt.

Zuko had expected some sort of mocking comment to come from the clearly inebriated, middle class patrons, but surprisingly none came. In contrast, everyone seemed to draw back, as if they were afraid of getting in this man's way.

The newcomer surveyed the room for a moment, his eyes briefly traveling over Zuko's table before coming to rest on the cloaked figure. With purposeful strides, he walked over and seated himself across from the man. They were just beginning to converse when a vice-like grip suddenly closed over Zuko's bicep.

"That's him," Azula hissed. "That's Shong Ti!"

She was already starting to rise from her seat when Zuko pushed her down.

"Quiet," he whispered, "and stay put. I want to hear what he's saying."

"So we capture him and make him talk," Azula growled. "I've had enough of sneaking around. You may be used to it, but I'm not."

Zuko bit back a retort. "Look, we have to assume the other man is Xui Li. Are you sure you want to start a fight with them here?"

"This is as good a place as any," Azula sneered. "What do you think, avatar?"

She glanced over at Aang as if expecting to add another voice to her cause.

"We listen for now," he said slowly, his eyes suddenly steely. "If he knows where Katara is, he might lead us to her. But I'm not letting him out of my sight. If I have to, I'll take him down."

Azula grinned in triumph.

"Aang…" Zuko began.

"Shhh!" He hissed. "Listen!"

Zuko paused for a moment, straining to hear the two now-arguing voices over the din of the patron's conversation.

"_You were supposed to kill the princess," Shong Ti hissed. "Not let her and the Fire Lord escape. What were you thinking?"_

_Zuko couldn't see Xui Li's face, but one of his pale hands was squeezing his tankard so hard it was shaking. "They would've died if it weren't for the avatar. Wasn't he your responsibility?"_

_Shong Ti's face visibly tightened. "Everything is ready for the solstice. The avatar knows nothing, and if you can manage not to screw this up, two days from now we will be the new rulers of this pitiful world."_

"_And the water bender?"_

"_After the solstice she won't be of any use to us."_

Aang's face went chalk white, his knees banging lightly against the underside of the table as he got ready to move.

"Sit down, Aang!" Zuko whispered. "We still don't know where Katara is!"

Aang shrugged off Zuko's hand, roughly shoving him with his elbow before slumping farther down in his seat. He seemed willing to listen for now, but Zuko knew it wouldn't take much more for him to act. Azula too, seemed tense, but for once she was quiet, listening intently to Shong Ti.

"_But Kwo and Yeh-Lu are dead?"_

"_Yes," Xui Li mumbled, "the avatar saw to that."_

_Shong Ti was quiet for a minute. "It was necessary. They knew their roles; we've lost a lot of good soldiers. But we're close now, let's not lose sight of our goal."_

_Xui Li nodded, "we'll replace them soon. After all, once the solstice comes we won't need to hide. Everyone upset with the avatar and the Fire Lord will flock to our cause."_

Shong Ti nodded, sitting back and letting his eyes sweep the room. He appeared to be getting ready to leave. Discreetly, Zuko reached into his tunic, ready to place a few coins on the tabletop and follow them out. Unfortunately the movement caught Shong Ti's attention, and immediately his eyes found Zuko.

For a moment, he said nothing, and then his gaze flickered to Azula. Recognition dawned in his eyes. He stood up quickly, his knees banging loudly against the underside of the table.

"You said you weren't followed!" He snapped to Xui Li, who had stood as well, quickly following his master's gaze. The hood had fallen from his face and for once, he looked shocked. His mouth worked silently as he struggled to speak.

Shong Ti, however, was already in motion, turning and slipping through the crowd toward the back of the tavern. Xui Li shot a look of intense loathing at Zuko before turning tail as well.

But before Zuko could even stand, Aang had flipped over the table, a blast of air quickly clearing a path between the stunned spectators. Azula was close on his heels, sparks flying from her hands as she pounded after him.

The group reached the back of the tavern, rounding the corner only to see a door swing shut in the distance. When they reached it, Aang didn't even pause as he wrenched it open and dashed inside. He had been expecting a fight, and when he found nothing but a bare, empty square room, he stopped midstride.

"Bu—! Where!" He gasped between breaths. "They weren't that far in front of us."

Zuko followed Azula inside, studying the room closely. None of the wooden paneling was out of place, in fact, nothing seemed to indicate that anyone ever used this room at all.

He was about to suggest they check the other doors off the hallway when Azula's voice cut him off.

"Shhh! I hear something!"

Instantly, everyone stopped moving, ears straining for the slightest hint of noise. Sure enough, Azula was right. Over the noise of the tavern's patrons, Zuko could clearly hear distracted shouts and the loud thumping of feet. There had to be at least two, maybe three people coming down the hall.

Quickly he motioned for his sister and Aang to take up positions on either side of the door. He set himself on the opposite wall, ready to strike the moment someone came in.

The door opened and Zuko glimpsed a bit of black hair. Instinctively, he attacked. Around the blaze of his own fire, he saw a pale hand shoot out and wrench the figure away. When no one returned his blow, he readied himself to strike again. Suddenly a voice shouted from the hall,

"Cool it, Zuko! It's us!"

Hesitantly, Mai stepped through the door, hands outstretched, followed closely by Toph and Sokka.

For a moment, no one spoke.

"What are you doing here?" Zuko sputtered.

Toph snorted indignantly. "Did you actually think we weren't going to follow you? You three were more likely to blow up the building than manage to keep things quiet."

"Bu—"

"And Iroh sent us."

Surprisingly, it was Sokka's comment that ended conversation.

"He did what!" Azula shrieked.

"He said you would need our help," Toph supplied. "And I think he said something else…something about light and shadows…or maybe it was just tea."

Mai rolled her eyes. "What he actually said was, 'when you face the light, the shadows will be behind you.'"

"And that helps us how?" Azula asked.

Sokka shrugged. "Typical Iroh. We'll probably only know after the fact."

"So what now?" Toph cut in from across the room.

Aang scratched his head, a frown creasing his brow. "We followed Shong Ti and Xui Li into this room, but they just…disappeared. We were about to search the place when you guys burst in."

Mai nodded, running her hands along the wooden paneling of the wall. "Nothing seems out of place, but they couldn't have just disappeared into thin air…"

"Well from what I've seen from Xui Li and what he did to Lee, I wouldn't put it passed him." Zuko shuddered.

Azula scowled over at him. "He can't just vanish—there's something here that were missing. We just need to find it."

Getting down on her hands and knees, she too began examining the floor. After a moment, Zuko followed suit and soon everyone was spread about the room, searching for some sort of clue.

After ten minutes of searching, Toph's voice broke the silence. "Found something!"

Everyone gathered around as her small fingers plied at the corner of a loose floorboard. After a moment, and with a little help from Sokka, the board came loose. Underneath was a smooth metal handle.

"Alright, stand back." Zuko said, grasping the handle tightly.

In a motion, he wrenched upward, almost falling on his back as a trapdoor suddenly appeared, rising smoothly and soundlessly from the floor. At least they now knew why they hadn't heard the two men escaping.

Peering down into the opening, Zuko eyed the blackness warily. He couldn't see the bottom and a thin rope ladder was all that hung over the side.

"So…." Aang said after a moment's silence, "are we going down?"

Even Azula looked apprehensive as she stared into the inky darkness.

"Do we have to go down there?" Sokka whined.

He'd barely finished his question when Toph's fist found his arm. "Is Sokka afraid of the dark?"

"No!" He said a bit too quickly.

"Well then let's get going!"

"You're sure?" Zuko asked, glancing over at Mai and Aang.

They both nodded. He gulped, staring down the trapdoor once again, before slowly beginning his descent into the unknown.

The going was slow, and Zuko resisted the urge to cringe every time the ladder creaked or swayed under the weight of another person. He had to make sure each foot was securely on the next rung before he took a step. Toph was somewhere above him sandwiched in between Sokka and Aang, and Zuko could hear Sokka's subtle encouragement as he helped guide the blind girl down the ladder. For once, he almost wished he was blind as well; it was rather disconcerting to see nothing but darkness below him and Mai's feet above.

They kept descending, foot after foot, step after step. The monotony gradually dulling Zuko's senses, and wasn't until he heard Mai's voice that he realized they were almost down.

"I see light! We must be getting close!"

Zuko glanced down and saw that his wife was right. The dim glow emanating from the base of the ladder seemed to be getting progressively lighter. As they got closer, he could see the telltale flickering of firelight dancing on the dark walls.

"We're almost there!" Zuko shouted upward.

The relieved cries from above brought a smile to his face, and with a renewed vigor, he redoubled his pace. A few minutes later, his feet found the hard stone floor below. When he finally helped the last person to the floor, he surveyed the group.

"We all ok?"

A chorus of relieved smiles and nods greeted him. Glancing around, Zuko saw that they were standing in a low tunnel that appeared to be part of the cavern system he knew was under Ba Sing Se. Unless he missed his guess, they were probably in one of the tunnel offshoots of the Crystal Catacombs.

"Ahhh, nothing like earth between your toes!" Toph exclaimed, lying back on the ground and swinging her arms. Zuko didn't miss the quick smile that touched Sokka's lips.

"So…what now?" Azula's quiet drawl cut through the group's excitement.

Expecting to see a torch burning on the wall, Zuko was surprised to see that the glow was coming from around a short bend in the tunnel wall.

"This way," he called, heading toward the source of the flickering light.

When he rounded the bend he stopped dead in his tracks, ignoring Sokka's indignant cry and letting the others crowd around his stationary form. The source of light was not, as Zuko had expected, a torch or even a lit brazier, instead it was a door completely bathed in flame.

Its ancient oaken face was covered and bolted with a steel latch twice the size of Zuko's closed fist. The iron banding was more than a foot wide, giving it an ominous appearance in the dancing flames, as if were protecting the rest of Ba Sing Se from what it held within.

And strangely enough, as Zuko stood there in awe, the door showed no sign of being affected by the blazing inferno that surrounded it.

"Is that what I think it is?" Sokka asked, finding his voice for the first time.

Zuko could only nod in response.

"And what exactly is 'it'?" Toph said, folding her arms over her chest.

"It's a door…" Sokka answered, "that's on fire."

"Well said," Azula drawled. "But the bigger question is how we open it, because somehow I don't think knocking will work this time."

Mai's arm flashed out, and a knife whipped from her hand. It struck the latch with a loud _clang, _but left nothing more than a shallow scratch on the gleaming metal.

"How about air bending?" Sokka suggested, looking over at Aang.

The avatar nodded and stepped forward, thrusting toward the door. The fire instantly grew and everyone was forced to take a step back before the heat overwhelmed them. The door shook and rattled for a moment, as if the force of the air was testing its hinges, but eventually it quieted. Aang shook his head.

"How about earth bending?" Mai asked.

Aang took his stance again.

"Wait!"

At Toph's voice Aang froze.

"You can't bend here," she explained. "Whoever built this place planned for earthbenders. We're in a tunnel above some kind of cavern. The floor and walls are barely thick enough to hold us. If we try to bend through them we'll probably collapse part of the tunnel and who knows how far the ground is below us."

Aang frowned for a moment as he too checked Toph's assessment.

"And the ceiling?"

Toph shrugged. "It might be solid stone all the way to the surface, but if you want to chance a bunch of rocks falling on your head, be my guest."

Aang grimaced, and turned to Zuko. "Got any more ideas?"

Zuko turned to Mai and was in the process of shrugging his shoulders when a thought struck him.

"Mai! Do you still have that key we found in the desert? The one Kotoru told us about?"

His wife nodded, slowly reaching inside her tunic. "I grabbed it from one of the packs on the lizard-mounts before we left. Though I'm not sure what good it will do here."

"Let me see it."

Gingerly, she placed the carefully wrapped parcel in his hands.

Zuko took the twisted cloth and gradually began to unwrap it as he walked forward.

"Zuko…." Mai's voice said from over his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Just testing a theory," he mumbled, focused on the task at hand.

When the heat became unbearable he stopped. He could feel the sweat dripping over his entire face and the blood rushing through his enflamed cheeks. It was now or never. Fully unwrapping the key, he bit his lip, and grasped it with his bare hand.

Almost immediately the relief was palpable, as if a wave of cooling water had just doused his body. The extreme cold that had previously ripped the skin right off Mai's hand now seemed like a breath of fresh air. For a moment he paused, reveling in the feeling.

Then he took another step forward, a mere arms width from the flaming door. He heard someone begin to protest, but he ignored them. In one swift motion, Zuko pushed his arm through the flames. The fire around the door seemed to only tickle his body, as if the key's icy coldness had formed a barrier around him. Gaining confidence, he fit the key into the lock. It slid in smoothly, and after a brief hesitation, he felt the latch give.

Instantly, the flames flickered, and from the iron latch, ice spider-webbed outward. It began gradually, inching along the metal rivets as it gained traction, eating away at the flames like mold on a slice of bread. Soon half the door was covered in a glistening sheen of ice. Then two thirds. Then the rest.

For a moment, everything was silent. Then the lock clicked once more. Instantly, cracks shot through the ice and the door seemed to explode, raining Zuko with droplets of water and shards of ice. When he finally turned to look, the doorway was open and the soft light within illuminated a twisting, staircase that had been cut straight from the stone wall as it spiraled downward.

Zuko turned back to look at the group, all of whom were staring at him in shock. Allowing himself a rare smirk, the Fire Lord motioned for them to follow.

"Come on," he said. "My guess is it isn't going to get any easier from here."

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**Thanks for reading, please review! (you may even get to see Katara soon)**


	37. The Fifth Element

**Well, I'm back (shockingly). I do apologize for the delay but suffice to say you probably wouldn't have wanted to be me for the last few months. Finals, two knee surgeries (D-1 athletics), and trying to find a job have made writing time scarce. This story is, however, drawing to a close so I can guarantee that the next update will be a lot sooner.**

**So thanks to those of you who are still with me. Hope you enjoy this chapter!

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**The Five Elements**

_Click. Clack. Click. Clack._ Each footstep on the staircase seemed magnified by the stone walls as they spiraled downward into the sparsely lit gloom. The group's path was marred by cobwebs and cracks and the occasional drop of water splashing them from above. For Sokka, it couldn't have painted a more ominous picture.

Zuko led the way, picking his way slowly down the steps and whispering quietly to Mai. They were sharing a sort of quiet conversation the way couples always seemed to—as if brief comments were all they needed to convey what their body language did not. Sokka followed at a discrete distance, one hand on his sword. He was not about to be caught by surprise—not with Katara so close…not with the supposed end in sight.

Toph was a step ahead of him, one hand running along the far wall as she too walked solemnly onward. Her demeanor had quickly changed once they had gotten down off the ladder. The earth had made her more confident, ready to fight.

Aang and Azula brought up the rear, the avatar clearly tense but focused, his eyes sharp, roving over every nook and cranny that passed. Azula too seemed ready, gone was her casual gait and trademark flippancy. She still, in part, resembled the warrior that had hunted the avatar for so long, and while her motives were slightly ambiguous, Sokka was glad she appeared to be fighting on their side.

Up ahead, Zuko stopped, raising a hand for quiet. Sokka could see another wooden doorway like the one they had opened earlier. This one, while not burning, was foreboding nonetheless. A cold light filtered in from below the edge of the doorway, painting the landing area an eerie gray. Grime floated in the air, momentarily suspended in the beams of light before disappearing into the inky shadows.

Sokka stepped forward and drew his sword.

"Toph, is there anyone on the other side?" He asked.

The blind earthbender paused for a moment, briefly spreading her toes across the stone floor as she felt for vibrations.

"Two," she said. "On either side of the door."

Sokka nodded and readied himself. "Take down the door on my mark. 3…2…1…go!"

With a quick punch, Toph leveled the door, and before the dust even settled, Sokka and Zuko were through the opening.

Sokka took the guard on the left before the man's sword was even unsheathed, catching him under his chin with the pommel of his sword. The guard's eyes rolled up in his head and he didn't move when he hit the floor. By the time Sokka had turned around, he saw Zuko's enemy had met a similar fate, courtesy of the Fire Lord's quick fists.

The rest of the group warily filed through the opening. Azula appeared last, glancing disdainfully down at the fallen guards, giving one a swift kick before turning to Sokka.

"So what now?"

"Aang?" Sokka asked, "any ideas?"

The avatar scratched his head. The doorway they had come through opened into a long hallway, dimly lit by the strange, opalescent glow of translucent blue and green crystal structures, and the rocky walls had a dampness to them that gave the catacombs a rather musty smell. Aang could see that the hallway split into two branches after a few hundred yards, but not before passing a few closed doorways on the side.

Turning back to Sokka, the avatar frowned, "your guess is as good as mine. I figure if we keep finding more guards, then we're probably going the right way."

Sokka nodded and led the way into the gloom. Occasionally the group would stop and Toph would check for signs of life, but largely, the catacombs seemed deserted. He was about to stop and suggest they all take a break for a moment when something caught his eye.

Kneeling down, he called the Fire Lord over, "Zuko, what do you think of this?" He pointed at the ground, running his hand over a set of shallow furrows in the dirt. "It's almost as if there was something here."

Zuko nodded, examining what appeared to be three vertical scratch marks in the earthen floor.

"There's another set over here!" Aang called from the other side of the tunnel. "And up there!"

Seeing the avatar point to another mark about ten feet in front of his own, Sokka stood up, his eyes scanning the floor. Sure enough, there was another identical scratch mark ahead of the one he had found.

"I…I think I know what made these marks."

Everyone looked at him expectantly.

"These catacombs are huge, right Zuko?" The Fire Lord nodded. "Well then Shong Ti has to have some way to move quickly through the tunnels, and what better way than some sort of lizard—like one of your Komodo Rhinos but smaller and able to travel underground? See?" He pointed at the marks, "each one of these indentations could be claw mark. Three talons to a foot…four feet….it all fits!"

The group seemed to consider Sokka's conclusions for a moment before Mai spoke, "I suppose that makes sense, but how does this help us find Katara or Shong Ti?"

"We follow the trail," Sokka said. "It has got to lead somewhere and it's more of a clue than we've had since we've been down here."

With that, he started following the path that the mysterious creatures had left. After a few minutes walking, it appeared that Sokka's hunch had been correct as lit torches began dotting the tunnel wall.

They walked forward for a seemingly indeterminate distance when the tunnel suddenly stopped, and Sokka could see that it opened into a much larger room—possibly another pathway or even one of the bigger caverns. When they reached the doorway, Azula suddenly stiffened.

"It's him."

Sokka followed her gaze. Their tunnel had, as he had expected, opened into a larger cavern, but instead of coming out on the bottom, their group had stepped out onto a balcony that overlooked an audience chamber.

The cavern was filled with troops, that at the sight of Sokka and Aang, had drawn their weapons. Unfortunately, that was not what worried him most—at the back of the chamber stood Xui Li, his eyes dancing with malevolent glee.

"I'm glad to see you made it, avatar. I was worried for a moment."

Aang's eyes didn't leave his, "you can't escape. We defeated your army at Zhao's stronghold and we'll do it again here. Just give us Katara and I'll guarantee that you'll be able to walk away from here."

"Speak for yourself, avatar," Azula growled.

Zuko silenced his sister with a glare. "Where is your master?" He called down, "where is Shong Ti?"

Xui Li's face twisted into a snarl, his eyes dancing in the flickering light. For a moment, the shadows seemed to grow behind him, flaring into an ominous figure before dying down once more.

"He awaits you, Avatar Aang. Don't be late. Your beloved waterbender's life depends on it."

He stepped backward into the shadows, briefly dissolving against the cavern's back wall. "A little something to whet your appetite."

He reached into the darkness and yanked at a figure that had clearly been standing, invisible, behind him. The person, a young woman, let out a frightened scream and crumpled to the ground in front of Xui Li. Her hands were manacled behind her back, and her dirty, dark hair fell long over her face. She lay where she fell for a moment before Xui Li's booted foot prodded her to look up.

When her shockingly blue eyes met his, Aang's world came to a crashing halt. Her once rich hair had lost its sheen and her dark skin was pale from lack of sunlight, but the eyes were unfailingly _hers_.

"Katara?" Aang's voice was a scratchy whisper at first. Then louder, "KATARA!"

Katara's mouth seemed to work for a moment, as if struggling to remember his name.

Suddenly, Xui Li's hand shot out and roughly shoved her back into the darkness. "Come and get her, avatar."

Just as he faded into the darkness, an unmistakable voice carried its way through the cavern, "Aaannngg!"

Upon hearing Katara's voice, something inside Aang broke. He leapt from the balcony with a scream of rage into the midst of the troops that were below. Sokka didn't see him land, but the resulting impact was like the epicenter of an explosion. Bodies flew outward as Aang raced toward where he'd seen Xui Li disappear. His attacks were unflinching in their single-mindedness. He fought anyone who stood in his way but no one else—his sole purpose was to reach Xui Li and find Katara.

By the time Aang was halfway across the cavern floor, Sokka finally called the rest of them to action. "Come on! Let's get down there!"

With a smile and a shout, Toph encased herself in a stone cocoon and took off for the floor below, Zuko and Azula hot on her heels.

"Benders." Mai grunted and rolled her eyes before she too began scaling her way down the cavern wall.

Sokka couldn't help but agree, but he too leapt over the side, pulling out his sword and digging it into the rock wall, using it to slow his descent as he skidded down the slope. He used his momentum to immediately roll under the stroke of an enemy sword, flipping around and bringing him down with a kick to the back of his knees. Another blow and the man was unconscious.

Looking up, he could see that Aang had managed to dispose of over half of the enemy soldiers, and the rest were quickly being mopped up by a tag-team of Azula and Toph.

Sokka shook his head—if that wasn't a strange sight he didn't know what was. Azula's overly aggressive firebending kept the enemies off guard as Toph's more surgical strikes felled one after another with a frightening precision.

Just as Mai's knife found the exposed flesh of the last soldier's neck, Sokka heard Zuko shout from the back of the cavern, "Come on! Aang went this way!"

They all hustled over to find him standing at the mouth of a small tunnel that led off from the main chamber. Aang's presence was unmistakable: the walls of the tunnel had been blown outward by the force of his airbending-aided flight, and the lack of scorch marks along the floor showed that he had met little resistance.

Sokka was hot on Zuko's heels as they pounded through the opening, trusting that Aang had taken care of any soldiers they might have met.

They rounded the corner only to run smack into an unmoving figure.

_Oooooff._ The air left Sokka's lungs in an instant. Without looking up, he drew his sword, ready to fight, only to be stopped by Zuko's firm grip. In front of them was the avatar, motionless as he stood at the opening of another large cavern.

"It appears we're all here now."

The voice was silky smooth and dangerous and it sent shivers down Sokka's spine. Picking himself up off the ground, he moved to stand by Aang. The voice, as he had expected, belonged to Shong Ti.

The dark, pony-tailed man stood behind a large pool of water that rose slightly from the ground to about waist level. Bordered by two translucent green crystal formations, his face was bathed in an eerie light. The glow, reflected from the surface of the pool, dappled his face, never stopping in one place, but leaving his features in stark relief with the well-lit chamber.

Sokka's attention, however, was drawn to the largest crystal formation to Shong Ti's right. Tied to its top with wrists crossed and hands manacled high above her head was Katara. Gaunt and malnourished, it was all Sokka could do to keep himself from running to his sister. Her face was pale and downcast and she watched the group with anxious eyes. The drab, formless brown robe she wore was cut and torn across the front and Sokka thought he saw a few poorly healed cuts on her abdomen. He was about to call out to her when Shong Ti cut him off.

"Just as a precaution, Xui Li?"

The raven-like figure seemed to materialize out of the shadows from behind Katara, smoothly drawing a dagger from his wrist and placing it against the young girl's neck. The blade drew a thin line of blood but Katara barely flinched, hardly registering her captor's presence.

"Let her go!" Aang's voice was steely, his eyes never leaving Katara's bent figure.

"Ahh, but then you'd miss the show. And that would certainly be a disappointment after everything we've been through, wouldn't it?" Shong Ti smirked, showing his teeth. "But since you've been so kind to supply us with everything we need, I'm sure this will go smoothly. First," he reached down and picked up an oblong, translucent orange object, "we have the scale of the famous elephant koi."

Shong Ti reached down, dipping the scale slightly into the crystal pool, allowing it to fill halfway before gently setting it in water, allowing it to float benignly on the pool's placid surface.

Reaching inside his tunic he pulled an ancient scroll, unfurling it before him.

Leaning down, Sokka heard Aang whisper in Zuko's ear, "the history of Fire Lord Liang-shek." Zuko frowned for a moment, but whatever comment he was going to make was drowned out by Shong Ti.

"And now for the elements: Water."

From the items arrayed in front of him, he selected a small blue vial. Uncorking it carefully, he poured the water from the Northern Water Tribe's Spirit Oasis into the small bowl created by the elephant koi scale. Upon contact, the combined mixture began to sparkle, as if it were being purified by the new element.

"Earth."

Shong Ti paused for a moment, examining the small jar set before him with a slight smile on his face. "This was the only element my agents were able to procure for me—even the Fire Lord wasn't able to stop them. Sand from the Si Wong desert, specifically, from the area where Wan Shi Tong's library was rumored to be. The spirit's constant presence infused it with certain…properties…that are vital to our success."

Without further comment, he gently poured the contents into the scale. For a moment nothing happened and Sokka dared hope that Shong Ti had somehow miscalculated, but then the water began to swirl, and instead of settling to the bottom of the bowl as normal sand would have, the mixture seemed to stir itself, slowly becoming a homogeneous brown flecked with gold.

Shong Ti picked up a bundle of cut flowers from the stone edge of the pool, and Sokka immediately knew they had to be the flowers Aang had traveled to the Eastern Air Temple to find. They were a bit dry and had certainly lost the brilliance they had had in life, but they held an undeniable attraction. It was almost as if he wanted to reach out and touch them.

"Fire."

Carefully Shong Ti reached over to the cavern wall behind him and removed a torch. Placing the silver-lipped tigerseye in the middle of the swirling mixture he carefully touched the edge of the flame to their stems.

Almost immediately the flowers began to shrivel as the fire drove whatever life they had left from them. Sokka watched in morbid fascination as Shong Ti crouched down next to the flame, watching it carefully. He allowed for some of the flame to be quenched by the water and sand mixture, and watched as small bits of charred plant began to sift their way to the bottom. After a moment, with a satisfied smile on his face, he stood up and inhaled.

As the flowers burned they infused the surrounding air with an odor unlike any Sokka had experienced before. The smell was light at first, wafting past his nose as if it were a soft summer breeze, but as he inhaled it became stronger, almost overpowering.

At once Sokka found himself back in his family's small hut in the Southern Water Tribe. A pot of stewed sea prunes simmered in the middle of the floor and Katara, whole and healed, was smiling in front of him, beckoning him inside.

Just as he reached out to join her, the scene shifted and he was suddenly in the Fire Nation capital, fighting through the sulfurous smell of the burning buildings and charred bodies on the Day of Black Sun. The smoke was too thick and only Aang ran alongside him. Just as he felt fear forming in his belly and his lips beginning to form words, the scene shifted once more.

This time he was in the Earth Kingdom. It was sunset and he was on a cliff, overlooking the sea. The clamor from a nearby town was slowly subsiding as dusk settled in. A small movement at his side caused him to look down, and there he found Toph. Her clothes looked cleaner than he had seen them in months and she had foregone her traditional bun in favor of letting her hair down. She was wearing the silver and green studded headband he had gotten her in Gaoling, and as the light reflected off her ivory skin, there was only one word Sokka would've used to describe her: _beautiful_. His heart pounded in his chest, and Sokka suddenly found the words on his lips that had been lying dormant in his heart. But, just as he was about to speak, Shong Ti's voice cut through the haze.

"Air."

It took Sokka a moment to come back to complete consciousness. The visions had seemed so real, and as his hand reached to grasp a Toph that suddenly wasn't there, he struggled to come to grips with what had just happened. The visions were gone, but the feelings—they were still there. He shook his head, trying to clear the cobwebs from between his ears when Azula's harsh whisper broke his revere,

"Burning the flowers can cause hallucinations. Focus your mind."

Sokka nodded curtly, screwing up his face in a grand effort to take a firmer hold on reality. He took Azula's advice, focusing once more on Shong Ti.

Shong Ti, however, did not seem to notice the effects of the flowers, but instead had taken to softly blowing the smoke that rose from the charred plant remains across the surface of the mixture in the pool.

As the smoke spread across the surface, Sokka watched as it seemed to slowly settle on the swirling mixture instead of dissipating. It hovered, mere centimeters above the surface like fog over a lake on an early morning. The smoke swirled in time with the liquid in the scale in a hypnotic fashion and a hush seemed to settle over all who were present. The silence extended until Shong Ti spoke again.

"And now, for the fifth element. Avatar Aang, if you'll please approach the pool."

"Me…why?" Aang asked warily.

"Who better to help open a doorway into the Spirit World than the avatar, the bridge between our world and the Spirits? Now come."

Slowly, Aang began to stir. Each step came gradually, as if he were struggling to pull his feet out of thick, viscous mud. As he approached the podium, Shong Ti pulled a long bladed knife from his tunic and began shining the blade against his sleeve.

"Look out!" Sokka shouted, already beginning to move toward Katara. But before he had gotten more than a step, Zuko's hand shot out, grabbing the collar of his tunic and pulling him roughly backwards.

Shong Ti hadn't moved from his earlier position, but his eyes were certainly on Aang, who had tensed at the sight of the blade.

"I'm not coming any closer until you let Katara go," Aang said.

Shong Ti regarded him with a cold stare, "do you really think I'd let my best bargaining chip go so easily? No avatar, you can rest assured that as long as you cooperate, she will remain safe. However, if you refuse, I cannot guarantee her continued well-being. Now come closer. This will all be over soon."

Aang gulped but nodded, and Sokka felt his protest die on his lips. If anyone could get them through this it would be the avatar.

When Aang had reached Shong Ti's side, the pony-tailed man ordered him to roll up the sleeve on his left arm and extend it over the swirling mixture in the scale. Very slowly Sokka watched as he took the knife and drew it over Aang's forearm. To his credit, Aang didn't even wince as his blood trickled down his arm and began to drip into the bowl.

After a few seconds, Shong Ti pushed Aang's arm down, allowing the avatar to wrap part of his sleeve over the wound. But instead of worrying about the avatar, Shong Ti continued gazing into the scale, watching as the blood seemed to work as a coagulant, combining the low smoky haze with the mixture below. This time, instead of continuing to stir itself, the new mixture began to bubble as if over a fire, and the insides shifted to a darker, molten silver.

Aang slowly began walking toward the group once again, seemingly uncertain about what to do next as Shong Ti ignored him.

Suddenly, Shong Ti's voice broke the silence, low and monotone, slowly rising in volume as it echoed across the cavern.

"_Water, earth, air, and fire,_

_The elements of life that the Spirits desire._

_Under the cover of summer's solstice and of the great city's middle ring,_

_Rises, from the ashes, the most cunning of beings._

_Come forth now, may your vengeance be swift,_

_Accept our humble offering, our faces, uplift._

_For whatever one sees, wherever one goes,_

_May they fear the wrath of Koh."_

The last syllable left Shong Ti's lips with a sense of horrid finality, and as the quicksilver-like mixture in the scale began to writhe and bubble, Sokka felt goosebumps run down his spine. Shong Ti kept his head bowed and arms outstretched—prostrate in front of what he assumed would be his new master.

The only noise in the room was a gradual crescendo as the mixture hissed and popped over the crystal pool. Slowly though, it began to grow, seeping over the edges of the scale and layering itself on the surface of the pool's. It grew until it covered about half the basin's width before it began to move upward. The fluid built upon itself, droplets leaping up and scrabbling to find a purchase on some unseen form. Some of the silver liquid seemed to run outward along what appeared to be branches or legs, but most of it continued reaching toward the ceiling of the chamber.

Sokka watched in horror as the scene unfolded in front of him. He knew what he was watching should be impossible, and yet here it was, happening in front of him.

The form grew until it was over five times as tall as Sokka and three times as wide. It looked, for all intents and purposes, like a giant centipede encased in silver. The head, however, seemed to end in a rather flat, formless stump ringed by eight grasping pinchers as if someone had chopped off the creature's head.

Aang was deadly silent, his eyes not straying from the growing figure in front of him. After another minute, the quicksilver finally stopped building upon itself, opting instead to simply flow hypnotically over the form it had created.

For a moment, no one breathed, and Sokka dared to hope that the incantation and the ingredients hadn't worked. Then a lower limb twitched, then another, and another, until all of them seemed to quiver and spasm in anticipation. Suddenly, in one quick movement, the figure shook itself, sending its quicksilver shell flying in all directions.

The form within was as Sokka had expected, a mottled brown and black centipede-like figure that towered over them. It twitched again and Sokka was horrified to see a human face appear on the flat surface he had assumed was its head. Quickly, and Sokka thought he probably would have missed it if he'd blinked, the face cycled through a succession of other forms—painted carnival masks, monkeys, beautiful women. The creature had them all.

And suddenly Sokka understood why they called him the Face Stealer. Koh had returned.

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**Hope you caught some of the parallelism and some of the rationale for the seemingly unexplainable things that happened earlier in the story. Please review, it makes my day!**


	38. The Wrath of Koh

**So I realize it's been way too long (life has been...rough) and most of you have probably forgotten about this story, but I still want to finish it. And I have. The rest of it will be posted in the next couple days. So if you're still with me, fantastic, if not, well I'll survive. Thanks for reading if you get this far.**

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**The Wrath of Koh**

Time seemed to slow as Koh towered over everyone in the room, eyes roving the cavern walls as he surveyed his new surroundings. Everyone seemed to be holding their breath until Shong Ti spoke,

"Welcome, my Lord. We've long awaited your arrival."

For a moment Koh did nothing. Then, shifting his visage to the hardened, lined face of a warrior, he peered down from above. Shong Ti remained motionless, staring into the pool, his head bowed obsequiously.

"Look at me, my servant."

Sokka gave an involuntary start at Koh's voice. On one level it was warm and inviting, holding unseen promise and reward, but there was a steel beneath it—he was not a being to be trifled with.

Obediently, Shong Ti met the spirit's gaze, his expression carefully schooled to show no emotion. He wasn't taking any chances.

"You've done well," Koh said. "And you will be rewarded greatly…beyond what even you could ever imagine."

At the mention of such a prize, Sokka saw Shong Ti's eyes widen imperceptibly and a smile threaten to break across his face. After a brief pause, Koh continued talking, but Sokka couldn't help but think that he seemed a bit disappointed, as if he hoped Shong Ti's carefully schooled neutrality would've broken.

"I see you've made good use of the powers I gave you. Your shape-shifting abilities, while rudimentary, were more than enough to gain the trust of the avatar's woman." It was only then that Koh seemed to notice their small group at the opening of the cavern, and Sokka pointedly looked at the ground as the spirit moved in their direction. He saw Koh's shadow descend toward Aang, and his face briefly flash to that of a beautiful woman, her tanned face framed by long, flowing brown hair. "Their women have always been their weakness," he purred.

When Aang didn't react, he straightened and returned his attention back to Shong Ti.

"And I see that you were able to bestow a bit of your powers on your servant. His ability to manipulate the shadows to do his bidding…very clever…but it is just one of the many powers that I bring to this world. Soon its most important leaders will be completely under my sway."

"When will this all happen, my Lord?" Shong Ti's voice nearly trembled with excitement.

"Soon," Koh assured him. "But first, have you done everything that I asked?"

"Yes, master," Shong Ti nodded. "Though I confess myself confused as to why you ordered the deaths of Colonel Kwo and Yeh-Lu. They would've been useful in battle."

"They won't be needed. Soon I won't need any mortal help."

"M-my Lord…?"

But Koh spoke over Shong Ti, ignoring his question.

"You have done well, but I still have one last thing to ask of you, Shong Ti."

"Whatever you wish, master."

"Give me your face."

Suddenly Koh was no longer towering over Shong Ti, but like a snake striking an unsuspecting mouse, he darted toward his servant. Mid-movement, Sokka watched in horror as not only Koh's face, but his entire body, seemed to shiver and morph into that of a hulking, bare-chested man. His features were hard and a gruesome scar over his right eye left a spider web of veins and cataracts that blinded his vision. But when he spoke, there was no mistaking the feral glee in his voice.

"Again, young waterbender! Or perhaps you want to feel the sting of my lash?"

At sight of the man, Shong Ti's face suddenly lost all color and he dropped to his knees. Instinctively, his hands found the stone floor, rapidly fingering the cracks for some unseen item. Shong Ti's eyes had lost their focus, and slowly, his lower lip began to tremble.

"M-m-master Hsu…but you're…you're…dead."

"Look at me! NOW!" Koh commanded.

Reflexively, Shong Ti looked up, and when he did his composure broke. Tears began to run down his face as his hands came up as if to block a blow.

Koh's hands swiftly shot out, prying his arms apart. He lowered his face to Shong Ti's and stared deeply into the man's terrified eyes. Slowly, Shong Ti's trembling began to subside and for the briefest of moments, Sokka thought that everything was going to be all right.

Then the man's entire body began to tremble violently, and Sokka watched in horror as a thin film began to escape from Shong Ti's open mouth. As the film travelled toward the motionless Koh, it began to expand and slowly settle over his face. Abruptly, Shong Ti began to spasm once more and Sokka's vision was obscured as Koh moved to stand over his victim. For a second, his body continued shaking, then, just as suddenly as it had begun, it stopped. Koh still held his body by the wrists, but after a moment he too seemed to shake himself, and as he stood up, he let Shong Ti's form fall to the ground.

When he let go, a gasp escaped Sokka's lips; the space where Shong Ti's face once lay was now a smooth covering of flesh—a blank canvas devoid of detail.

Then Koh turned to address the group and the wide-eyed Xui Li.

"The power of suppressed memories," he chuckled. "I knew about his history in the Southern Water Tribe and his 'reconditioning' in the Fire Nation. No one serves me unless I want them to, and when they outlive their usefulness," he seemed to shrug, "I add them to my collection."

"Aang." It was Toph's voice that broke through Sokka's shock. "Follow my lead."

Before Sokka even had a chance to register what she was doing, Toph had grabbed him by the collar and had ghosted a hand over his face, lightly brushing across his forehead and down over his eyes. Her small hand hitched, trembling slightly before sliding past his lips and off his chin.

Instinctively, Sokka felt his face heat up, wondering what Toph could possibly be doing. Then she shoved her free hand into the earthen floor of the cavern and pushed her open palm downward before slowly lifting up a concave disk of stone. With a flick of her fingers, she snapped two small holes through the upper half and one at the bottom before shoving the thin piece of earth into Sokka's hands.

"Put it on," she ordered without looking up, and moved over to Zuko and Mai.

Sokka turned the disk over, a frown creasing his brow. Looping two fingers through the holes, he let it dangle limply from his hand.

"How am I supposed to put this on?" He hissed.

"It's a mask, Snoozles," Toph snapped. "How are you going to fight without showing emotion? Now put it on before Koh comes over here!"

Reluctantly, Sokka held the earthen disk up to his face, positioning the two small holes Toph had created over his eyes. Surprisingly, the mask fit snugly and held even without a strap. Toph's earthbending was so exacting that the earth seemed to mold with every curvature of his face. He could barely tell he was wearing the mask at all.

He looked over to see that Aang had made a similar mask for Azula and had even slapped one on himself. They were as ready as they would ever be.

A low, rumbling laugh echoed throughout the room. "A valiant effort, little girl, but one that will only prolong the inevitable. You cannot possibly hope to defeat me."

Now it was Sokka's turn to laugh. "Why? Because you're some old fat guy? _Please_."

Koh's scarred face hardened as he leveled his gaze at Sokka. "I am more powerful than even the avatar himself! My release from the Spirit World has freed me from the confines of my serpentine body. Now I am free to assume not only the face of every soul I've ever defeated, but their bodies too! I contain the knowledge and skills of weapon masters from before benders even walked this land! I can become some of the most skilled masters in each of the four bending disciplines at my smallest whim! What can the avatar and his insolent friends do to me?"

As if to prove his point, Koh began shifting forms. First he was a tall, lithe woman in a loose, green tunic with two swords crossed over her back. Next, he took the shape of a waterbending master. Then the stocky stance of an earthbender suddenly melted into the narrowed eyes of a Fire Nation General. And just when Sokka thought he was finished, Koh transformed once more.

Aang gasped.

Even if the wicked gleam in his eye seemed out of place, the light blue arrow tattoo was unmistakable.

"Master Ledi Sunim." Koh spoke the name slowly, devouring Aang's gaze, "He lived many years before your time, avatar. He was as one of the greatest airbenders to walk this land." He smirked, "In a way, I suppose, you're not the last airbender after all."

Koh began slowly walking toward the group, seemingly unconcerned about an attack. "I have to say though," he continued, "an avatar would be the crown jewel of my collection. I wouldn't even have to bother to change my shape. Everything would be in one nice, neat little package…that would be so much better, don't you agree?"

Aang didn't even bother answering. The time for conversation had passed.

"Azula! Toph! With me!" He shouted, "Sokka, you take Mai and Zuko. Get Katara!"

Then, without waiting for a reply, he charged.

It took Sokka only a second to realize what Aang had said and only a second more to react. In an instant he was covering the distance between Katara and him, his sword held ready. Koh's callous killing of Shong Ti had seemed to send Xui Li into shock, but Sokka's charging figure snapped him out of his daze.

He grit his teeth and tightened his grip on his prisoner. "Not a step farther or the girl dies."

Sokka skidded to a halt a mere ten feet from his sister. Her eyes were bloodshot, wide with terror and her chest rose and fell quickly while her breath came in shallow gasps.

"Just let her go," he said slowly. "Let her go and we can all walk away from this."

Xui Li snorted. "Not likely. The instant I let her go, you're just going to kill me. And even if you don't, he will." He gestured over his shoulder at the battling forms of Koh and Aang. Sokka wasn't sure which individual he was specifically referring to, but he was pretty sure that neither of them would show Xui Li much mercy.

"Look, we can work this out," Sokka continued, speaking softly as Xui Li's worried eyes kept darting from him to Koh and back again. "We—"

"No!" Xui Li suddenly exclaimed. "You come any closer and she dies!"

Sokka's head was beginning to hurt and he was struggling to quell the anxiety that was growing in his chest.

"You and me." He finally said.

Xui Li looked confused.

"You and me," he repeated. "We fight, one against one. No one else helps. The winner gets to walk away."

"Sokka…" Zuko said.

"No Zuko," Sokka insisted, his eyes never leaving Xui Li. "I want to do this."

Xui Li considered them both for a moment. "And how do I know they won't attack me if I kill you?"

"They'll leave and go help Aang. It'll be just you and me."

"No we won't!" Zuko exclaimed. "You're going to need all the help you can get! It's three against one! We've finally got him cornered! Besides, just think of what he did to Lee…"

Sokka turned away from Xui Li for a moment and looked Zuko straight in the eye. "He will pay for everything he did. You have my word."

"And if you lose?"

"I won't," Sokka said simply.

Zuko regarded him for a moment before looking up and speaking to Xui Li. "We'll agree to his terms."

Xui Li stared at Sokka for a long time, the silence occasionally punctuated by sounds of the battle taking place behind them. "Then leave."

Zuko nodded, patting Sokka on the shoulder. "Good luck."

Sokka didn't reply, his gaze now firmly fixed on Xui Li. When Zuko and Mai ran to help Aang, Xui Li roughly cast Katara to the ground and drew his swords.

Sokka's first blow came in high, testing Xui Li's guard with a relatively simple downstroke, before blending the strike with a more complex flurry that forced the man back. Sokka wanted to stay on the offensive and force his opponent to block his single, larger sword with both of his smaller blades.

Xui Li grunted under Sokka's assault but held his ground before spinning a low strike at his ankles that forced the water tribe warrior to leap back.

"You fight well," he nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But not well enough."

This time it was Xui Li who attacked, his twin swords moving at a lightning pace. Sokka was pushed to his limit as he struggled to block his opponent's blades. More than once he had to spin away to avoid a strike at his shoulders while the other sword nipped at his ankles. Twice Xui Li drew blood; once across the back of Sokka's calf and again just under his right arm before Sokka was able to catch him off-guard and jam his forearm into his jaw.

Xui Li's head snapped back with a satisfying crack and he stumbled over his feet, collapsing in a heap as he tried to avoid Sokka's follow-up swing.

Aiming a kick at Sokka's legs, Xui Li connected with his left knee, snapping it back. Sokka let out a pained yell but managed to keep his feet, limping slightly. Xui Li finally staggered to his feet as well and took a moment to staunch the blood that was freely flowing from his mouth.

He spat, the ruddy combination of phlegm and blood dusting the cavern floor, before advancing on Sokka once more.

This time he came in with both of his swords, aiming for Sokka's injured side. The force of each blow emanated throughout his entire body as he struggled to reverse the flow of battle. Sokka retreated slowly, careful to maintain his footing and protect his injured knee while trying to keep his attacker at bay.

Xui Li fought with a single-minded tenacity that reminded Sokka of Azula, but in the back of his mind, he knew he could use that to his advantage. After another flurry of strikes, Sokka saw his opening. As Xui Li swung toward his midsection, Sokka sidestepped the blow and brought the pommel of his sword down on Xui Li's wrist. The force of his attack forced one sword from his opponent's hand and cracked bone.

Xui Li let out a pained gasp and whipped a defensive cut at Sokka's stomach before spinning away. Sokka used the momentary pause to grab the fallen weapon and toss in the other direction.

With one smaller sword, Xui Li was at a distinct disadvantage and he barely managed to evade Sokka initial blow. Sokka's much longer, heavier blade cleaved the air as Xui Li ducked again, rolling away and coming up awkwardly on the balls of his feet. His eyes were wide and breathing rapid. Sokka could smell his fear.

A quick jab step forced Sokka to pause, expecting an attack. But instead, Xui Li turned and ran, making a beeline straight for Katara's fallen body.

With an angry yell, he took off after Xui Li, even though he knew he'd be too late. In desperation, he did the only thing he could think of. He threw his sword.

Despite his familiarity with his beloved boomerang, his two-handed sword was nothing like its more aerodynamic counterpart. It required far more effort to throw and was incredibly inaccurate—and it certainly wouldn't come back. If he missed, it wouldn't matter who reached Katara first, Sokka would be weaponless and Xui Li wasn't going to show him any mercy.

But as the sword spun sideways through the air with an odd sort of grace, Sokka knew his fears were unfounded. His aim was true. Xui Li's eyes barely had time to register the incoming weapon before it struck him, cutting deep into his side.

Xui Li stumbled and fell, clutching his gaping wound. His breath came in brief, rapid gasps, and by the time Sokka reached him, he lay in an ever-widening pool of his own blood. He met Sokka's eyes briefly, pleadingly, before a spasm of pain wracked his body. Then, just as suddenly as it started, his body stilled.

Sokka reached down and gently shut Xui Li's eyes, the brief gesture a cautious respect for the dead more so than for the man himself. Picking up his sword, he hurried over to Katara's side.

"Katara," he said urgently as he struggled to help his sister sit upright, "are you ok?"

It was the natural question to ask even though the answer was right in front of him. Katara's normally chocolate brown skin had faded to pale facsimile of its usual luster and her arms and legs were covered with a myriad of cuts and bruises. Her body was thin almost to the point of gauntness and Sokka swore he could see her ribs through the cuts in the thin garment she wore.

Her eyes fluttered open and met his briefly before she shuddered and Sokka felt her fight feebly against him. It nearly broke his heart.

"Katara, it's me," he said tenderly. "I'm here to help. We're going to get you out of here."

Gently, he reached behind her knees and around her back and began to carry her away from where Xui Li lay. He had taken two steps when a voice called out from behind him,

"I'll take her. You go help your friends."

Sokka flinched at the new voice, instinctively shielding his sister with his body. His hand ached for his sword but he knew he didn't have time to set Katara down and draw it. Slowly he turned, but instead of finding another one of Koh's men, he faced a woman.

The figure that stood before him was certainly not a warrior, in fact, he was surprised to see that she was standing at all. Her figure was clearly malnourished, her features sallow and sunken behind what were once high, regal cheekbones. Her black hair was now ashen, but despite her unassuming appearance, her amber eyes held a luster that drew Sokka to them. They were the eyes of a woman who had seen much and suffered more, but for whom the spark of life still burned vibrantly despite a mask of cynicism and hate.

"And who are you?" Sokka asked, his voice still hard.

"Ana." Sokka almost dropped his sister when her thin, raspy voice answered his question.

"Katara?" He asked again, the woman quickly forgotten.

"Ana," Katara said again, this time with more insistency.

Slowly, the woman Sokka assumed had to be Ana approached but stopped when she saw him take a hesitant step back.

"We were cellmates," she said slowly. "I tried to help her but they punished me. They separated us before we could try to escape again." A bitter laugh escaped the woman's lips. "Though I'm not sure why Shong Ti even kept me around—he really only needed her." Ana's eyes roamed over Sokka's face once more. "You must be her brother; she talked about you sometimes. She was the only one of us who believed that you all would come to rescue her. I had seen too much to expect such a thing."

Sokka glanced down at Katara as if to verify the woman's story, but his sister's eyes never left Ana. It was more interest than he'd seen her show before.

"Do you really know her?" He asked cautiously, "is she telling the truth?"

Katara nodded, one of her hands slowly coming up to squeeze Sokka's arm. "I thought she was dead," she mumbled. "Shong Ti said she was."

"Well Shong Ti is dead now," Sokka growled, glancing over his shoulder at the battle that raged behind him, "but we need to get you out of here so Aang can finish off Koh."

Truthfully, Sokka had serious doubts about their chances, but he wasn't going to tell that to Katara now. If anything, he wanted to get back and help Aang, Toph, and Zuko before it was too late.

Ana, however, had followed Sokka's gaze and was now riveted on the battle as well.

"Is that…is tha—"

"Yes, it's the avatar," Sokka snapped, "and he needs my help. Now if you cou—"

"No, the others," Ana's soft, wistful tones caught him off-guard, a faraway look in her eyes.

"They're Toph, Zuko, Mai, and Azula," he said, "but I'm not sure why that's important now."

"Zuko…Azula," Ana seemed to roll the names around on her tongue, savoring their sound.

"Do you know them?" Sokka asked, curious in spite of the situation.

Ana was silent for a moment, the cacophony of battle the only sounds to be heard. Then she turned to face Sokka once again.

"My name wasn't always Ana," she said, as if that were enough, "now give me Katara and go help your friends!"

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**Review?**


	39. The Bridge Between Two Worlds

**Here is the conclusion, as promised! Thanks for sticking with me. A short epilogue will follow. Hope you enjoy!**

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**The Bridge Between Two Worlds**

Aang hardly had a moment to worry about Katara after he had yelled at Sokka—Koh, who had just killed Shong Ti, was proving more than enough for Azula, Toph, and him to handle.

In a single body, Koh would have been a formidable opponent, but by switching between forms he could use his years of stolen experience and combat knowledge to counter every attack their small group threw at him. Whenever a certain tactic seemed to be working, he always had the perfect form to counter the blows. When Azula attacked with her blue fire, he was a waterbending master that quickly extinguished the flames, when Toph attacked with earth, he responded with an ancient firebending form Aang had never seen.

Even when Aang attacked with the might of all four elements, Koh seemed to have an answer, shifting between ancient weapons masters who would've put Piandao to shame and some of the world's most powerful benders. His movements were fluid and seamless, never pausing long enough in one form to allow them to regroup and attack once more.

Even with Zuko and Mai's unexpected arrival, they were only able to hold Koh at bay, never having more than a moment to go on the offensive.

After another flurry of bending, Koh, sensing their frustration, abruptly retreated behind an impressive array of earthbending before pausing to face them in Shong Ti's form.

"You cannot win, avatar," he gloated. "I have the experience and knowledge of every discipline and skill this world has ever known. Nothing you or your friends can do will ever stop me. Accept the inevitable. Take off those silly masks and swear allegiance to me, and maybe I'll let you live."

While Aang took a moment to catch his breath, Toph shouted a retort from his side, "Then we'll just have to think of something you've never seen before!"

A deep chuckle escaped Koh's lips.

"And who might you be, little girl? It's not often I find a face as pretty as yours to add to my collection." Quickly, he cycled through a few of his feminine forms, pausing for a moment to smirk at Aang from behind the face and body of the dark haired woman the avatar had glimpsed in his first meeting with Koh in the Spirit World.

"Is that supposed to impress me?" Toph retorted, vaguely waving her hand in the air. "That shifty, bendy thing you're doing?"

Koh frowned at Toph's obvious indifference before a scowl slowly settled over his face. "I see now why you don't wear a mask."

Toph shrugged, "the blind don't fear what they cannot see."

Koh's face twisted into a snarl. "You may not be able to see me, little girl, but I can still show you why you should fear me!"

Once again Koh attacked, shifting between forms almost faster than Aang could follow. But even as the avatar tried to launch his own offensive, he could already see that the tide had changed—Koh had been holding back before.

The ancient spirit was ruthless and efficient when he attacked. Mai was the first one to fall; a stone to the side of her head knocked her out cold before Zuko could protect her. The Fire Lord didn't last much longer despite Aang and Toph's relentless assault on Koh's flank, and soon Zuko was pinned to the floor, his torso encased in a block of ice.

Aang and Toph pushed the attack, letting Sokka, who had just recently arrived, and Azula pick away at Koh's exterior defenses. Here the Fire Nation princess was in her element, blue fire leaping from her fingertips and singeing Koh's robes. The spirit hissed in pain and quickly flipped off his outer garment, letting it smolder slowly in the dirt.

Azula, meanwhile, pressed her advantage, cackling from behind her mask in the slightly unhinged way that only a madwoman could truly capture. She seemed to ignore Aang and Toph's presence with her attacks, forcing them to step back and occasionally observe for fear of being burned themselves. The blue nimbus of flames surrounding Azula's hands struck again, and her shrieks of rage reverberated across the cavern. Aang felt sure that were it not for her mask, she would've already fallen to the Face Stealer's gaze. Koh, however, quickly tired of toying with her and grew frustrated that the covering on her face deprived him of seeing her true fury.

Slowly but surely his attacks wore down her guard and, with a glancing blow to the side of her head, he spun her around and sent her mask skittering across the cavern floor.

In an instant, Koh was upon her, roughly cupping her face with his hands, holding her gaze with his own. But even as Aang, Toph, and Sokka rushed to reach her, they knew it was too late. Azula's slightly too wide smirk was plastered on her bloodied face, and in the sudden silence that seemed to hang over the cavern, she laughed.

She was still cackling when a thin film began to emanate from her mouth and settle over Koh's face. Surprisingly, Azula's laughter never turned to a cry for help, but instead, whether through defiance or insanity, she continued, grinning in the face of death until the ancient spirit took her.

To Aang, watching Azula die was like having a bottle of ice water slowly poured over his head, the freezing droplets sending a rhapsody of shivers down his spine, leaving behind only a cool numbness. He knew he was running toward Koh, but everything else seemed muted and strangely surreal.

His first attack was slow and a bit off, the boulder he launched from the cavern's floor trailing to the right and impacting somewhere against the far wall. Koh barely gave the rock a second glance and morphed himself into the ancient airbender Ledi Sunim, focusing his attentions on Toph.

The gusts of air and wind kept her off balance and drove her back—for once her blindness limited her abilities. Only her immense earthbending skill kept her from being overwhelmed.

Sokka entered the fray just as Koh came into range of Aang's firebending. The water tribe warrior's sword, already bloodied from his battle with Xui Li, was a blur, a testament to his natural skill and training under Piandao's watchful eye. Deftly he sidestepped the spirit's gust of air and thrust at Koh's midsection.

Seconds before his attack landed, Koh's body contorted again, this time transforming into a large, fanged viper that hissed angrily at Sokka's feet. Instantly, the snake struck twice, sinking its fangs deep into Sokka's calf just above his boot, before he even had a chance to cry out.

Startled, Sokka stumbled back and fell, tripping over his own feet as his sword clattered to the ground beside him. But just as the serpent rose up to strike again, Aang saw Sokka's body suddenly become encased in earth and the snake's fangs merely glance off his hardened exterior. Hissing loudly, the snake reared to strike again only to find Sokka's body sliding rapidly away, stopping next to Toph some distance from the battle. Almost immediately, the earth melted away, leaving Sokka, gasping for breath.

"Never…do…that…again!" He huffed at Toph, "Couldn't see….couldn't move!"

"Sokka…?" Toph's uncharacteristically worried voice cut him off, "are you alright? Did it bite you?"

Aang knew immediately that something was very wrong as Sokka's skin began to pale and beads of sweat formed along the edge of his brow. Even Toph, without the benefit of sight, would pick up on the change soon.

He thought about running to help Sokka, but stopped when he saw Koh revert back to the form of Ledi Sunim, his cruel smirk clearly out of place on the once stoic monk's face. His smile only widened when he heard Sokka gasp in pain.

"I've been told it's an incredibly painful way to die." He laughed, "the venom works its way inward from the extremities to the brain, slowly destroying muscle and tissue. The victim's last moment's are an exquisite agony."

The sinking feeling in Aang's gut did nothing to match the range of emotions that played across Toph's face. Worry. Sadness. Fear. They all flashed across her face in a matter of moments before settling on rage. Her hands clenched into fists and stance widened. The entire cavern seemed to tremble as Toph's emotions projected themselves onto the surrounding stone. A thin trail of dirt and rock misted the combatants and even Koh paused, looking warily up at the ceiling.

"Toph!" Aang had to shout to be heard over the growing rumble of the stone. "Stop! You'll bring the entire cavern down on top of us! We'll be trapped!"

"Then at least he'll die with us!" Toph's voice was hard, completely devoid of emotion. Her long hair was sticky with sweat, plastered to her neck and forehead. The wild look in her blind eyes momentarily reminded Aang of Azula, and for an instant, he feared that Koh would take her too.

On instinct, he bent a wall of earth between Toph and Koh, forcing the Spirit to direct his attention to him.

"Take Sokka to Katara!" Aang called, "she's his only chance!"

Inwardly, Aang cringed, knowing there was probably little Katara could do her state, but a slim chance was better than none at all. For once though, Toph obeyed Aang and the cavern's rumbling and shaking slowly subsided. Then the avatar turned his attention fully to Koh.

The spirit leered at Aang and took his stance, choosing to remain in the form of Ledi Sunim.

"Your friends are gone, avatar. What chance do you think you'll have alone?" Koh taunted.

Aang felt his anger rising, but didn't grace the spirit with a retort. Instead, he sent a wave of fire at Koh's ankles. The spirit nimbly leapt over the initial attack, and unleashed a gale of wind directly at the avatar. Aang met the gust head on, splitting it with his hands, until it impacted the wall behind him with a resounding thud.

A whip of water forced Koh to take a step back as ice began to form at his feet. He stumbled momentarily, quickly shifting into the form of an ancient firebending master to free himself, before dancing away from Aang's next attack. A few quick blasts of fire and most of the ice was reduced to vapor.

Then it was the spirit's turn to attack and, with a wicked gleam in his eyes, he reached back and pulled something Aang hadn't noticed from the side of his tunic. With a flick of his wrist, a whip unfurled from his fist, bathed in fire, and crackling in the surrounding air.

_CRACK!_ The whip split the air inches from Aang's head and forced him to retreat. The new weapon gave Koh the substantial advantage of being able to attack with force while remaining at range. Every time Aang tried to counter with an earthbending strike or a gust of air, Koh either dodged the attack or used his free hand to bend the incoming projectiles away.

Another intense counterattack left a line of scorched fabric across Aang's back and he stumbled, breathing heavily. He knew this couldn't go on much longer; he was tiring and Koh's stamina appeared almost inexhaustible.

Aang dove to the side to avoid another brutal strike from Koh's fiery whip when a wild idea struck him. Shoving one hand into the floor, he called the surrounding earth to cover his hand in a thick, stony mitt, and when Koh attacked again, he reached out and grabbed the whip just as it began to retract.

The spirit only had a second to register what Aang had done before the whip's momentum sling-shotted the avatar straight back at him. Aang's two feet caught him in the stomach and drove the air from his lungs. Before Koh's body even collided with the stone floor of the cavern, Aang's earth-augmented fist was already descending for a crippling blow to his chin.

In an act of desperation, Koh shifted once again, going from a broad-framed firebender to that of a lithe, petite woman. The blow that Aang had aimed at Koh's chin now passed easily over the head of his new form. The force of the strike threw him off balance and he tumbled to the floor in a heap.

Before he could even right himself, Aang felt a large weight land on his back and a muscular forearm wrap itself around his neck and lift him from the ground. Somehow, within the span of mere seconds, Koh had changed shape once again and was now choking him from behind.

Black spots danced in front of Aang's eyes and he felt Koh's hot breath in his ear.

"I have waited too long," the spirit hissed, "to be defeated by you. I'll kill you right here and use next few years to consolidate my power if I have to. By the time the reincarnated avatar is powerful enough to challenge me, it will be too late."

Aang felt Koh's forearm tighten against his neck and blackness began to creep into the edge of his vision. His lungs screamed for oxygen and his hands scrabbled against Koh's arm in an effort to push him off. But just when he thought he couldn't hold his breath any longer, he felt a familiar stirring in his chest. It started as a dull pressure just behind his rib cage and then snowballed outward, gradually filling his entire being as it swelled to a crescendo.

As the avatar state took over, Aang felt his legs snap back and kick out, sending Koh flying across the room. Aang fell roughly to the floor of the cavern, gasping for air. Each breath seared his lungs as he massaged his neck with his hands.

He got to his feet just as Koh was picking himself up off the floor. Aang's glowing tattoos shone in stark relief in the dank cavern, and he approached the spirit with confidence and a deadly intent. Suddenly, it was Koh who looked tentative and uncertain, wary of Aang's new power.

But, just as Aang began to draw on the avatar state to attack again, something happened. Like the only light in a dark room being abruptly shut off, his past lives' power left him in an instant. The earthen missile he'd been about to launch crumbled to the ground and Aang stumbled, gasping to the floor.

Bewildered, hurt, and alone, he didn't even hear Toph's shout or Zuko's startled cry. _Why? _He wondered. _What happened? What did I do?_

And then, as Koh warily walked over, _I am going to die._

The spirit's foot pressed heavily down on the back of Aang's neck, driving his chin into the ground and grinding his teeth together until he tasted blood.

"The spirits have abandoned you," he hissed, "and the Spirits of Old cannot save you either. They are blind and weak."

Aang felt Koh's booted foot rise slightly off his neck.

"Goodbye Avatar Aang."

Aang closed his eyes in preparation for the final blow. It never came.

_BOOM!_

With an almighty explosion a tidal wave of water swept over Aang and impacted Koh, flinging him against the far wall of cavern like a rag doll, shattering rock and stone. Only the spirit's quick shifting allowed him to bend a cushion of air to keep the strike from being fatal.

When Aang rolled over and got to his knees, his eyes were drawn to the pool Koh had risen from not long ago. Three figures stood next to it as its surface frothed and boiled. As Aang watched, the people—two men and a woman—helped a fourth from its waters. Then the two men came and stood in front of Aang, shielding him from Koh. Behind Aang, he could hear more splashing and another voice as a fifth figure broke through the surface of the pool.

Just as he was beginning to regain his senses, he heard Koh's shout, "YOU!"

A combination of fear and fury, the words burst unbidden from the spirit's mouth as he gazed at one of the men in front of Aang. The figure's shaggy, dark hair hid his features, but his tanned skin and blue robes gave him the appearance of a water bender. The man's companion seemed much older, his hair graying and his robes, a blood red indicative of the fire nation, were worn thin around the edges. His voice waivered slightly as he spoke.

"The Spirits of Old have indeed seen your evil Koh, and they have ruled. We are here to see that their will is carried out!"

"Their will. My vengeance!" The dark haired water bender interrupted, his eyes never leaving Koh.

His friend steadied him with his hand, and Aang noticed that the five figures had grown to at least twenty, many of whom now stood between him and Koh. But even as he watched in silence, the pool continued to froth and another man stepped from its midst. Even though their backs were to Aang, they seemed familiar, and as he watched, an idea took hold in the back of his mind and a slow smile found its way to his face.

Koh, once again in his guise as Shong Ti, paced in front of the growing crowd.

"This is impossible," he spat. "You can't be here; it's forbidden for you to enter the mortal world on your own!"

"We were called by the current avatar," the old fire bender said. "It is by his will that we are here."

"But you shouldn't all be here! Not in your corporeal forms! Not separate from him!"

"You forget," the water bender sneered, a smirk evident in his voice, "Liang-shek's spell opened a doorway into the Spirit World. Surely you didn't think you were the only one who could use it? You didn't think that we'd let you get away with this—that I would allow this world to succumb to you! I have not forgotten what you did!"

"But you're part of him!" Koh thundered, spit flying from his mouth as he pointed at Aang. "You can't be in two places at once!"

"We're not," the fire bender said. "Just ask."

Even though Aang thought he recognized the speaker, his breath still caught in his throat when the figure finally turned to face him.

"Avatar Roku."

The words slipped from his lips and he resisted the urge to run up and wrap the older man in a tight hug. Roku's eyes twinkled and when the water bender next to him turned and flashed him a quick smile, Aang recognized Kuruk as well.

"So Aang," Roku repeated, "are we doing the impossible? Are the spirits of the past avatars still inside you?"

Aang took a moment and composed himself. Briefly he closed his eyes and let his consciousness contract, searching for that place inside of him, that wealth of power and knowledge that his past lives possessed. But when he finally found that familiar area, it wasn't quite what he expected. He wasn't completely severed from his past lives, their presence was still there, but their voices and powers were strangely muted. He was still intimately connected to the previous avatars but their power was no longer his own. He was, at that moment, merely a very powerful bender.

"I still feel your presence," he answered, "but you're not wholly there."

Satisfied, Avatar Roku turned back to Koh. "Avatar Kuruk was right when he said that Liang-shek's spell gave us the ability to enter this world, but what he neglected to mention was that we needed an invitation. When you forced Aang to enter the avatar state, you gave us all the encouragement we needed. And now," Roku finished, "we're here to take you before the Spirits of Old. You have much to answer for and they will have justice."

Koh was silent for a moment, but Aang could see a vein in his neck pulsing. Slowly a cloud seemed to descend over his face, his features contorting into a hideous mask of anger and rage.

"Never!" He spat. And in the blink of an eye, he attacked.

Koh shifted forms and torpedoed a rock straight at Avatar Roku's face, but before Aang even had a chance to shout a warning, a whip of water surrounded it and yanked it to the ground. Koh attacked again, this time with fire, only to see Avatar Yangchen stop his attack with a well-timed blast of air. Next Koh whirled and readied his own lance of ice only to have his wrists battered with stones sent by two avatars that Aang did not recognize.

Then Koh leapt among the group, using his combat skills to try to incapacitate his opponents with a flurry of kicks and punches. Strangely the avatars never attacked, they merely redirected blows or sidestepped attacks so that after a minute Koh was doubled over, exhausted, in their midst. When he readied himself to strike again, Kuruk finally spoke,

"Enough." His voice was as cold as ice, and Aang saw Koh flinch slightly at the sound. Kuruk stepped into the middle of the ring of avatars and stood before Koh. Aang could see him trembling, barely suppressing his desire to lash out at the ancient spirit. "You will come with us. Now."

There was no compromise in his tone, and although Avatars Kyohsi and Roku shifted themselves to defend against another attack, Kuruk made no movement toward the spirit.

Koh didn't answer at first, his chest heaving as he stood before Kuruk and eyed him warily. Slowly a smile spread across his face.

"You want to see her again, don't you?" He smirked. "She could be yours once more…you could hold her in your arms, touch her long, silky hair…"

"Don't you _dare_ speak of her!" Kuruk spat harshly. "You took her away from me and she's never coming back."

"But she can," Koh continued, his voice like honey. "If you let me stay here, in this world, she can exist. You can come visit her whenever you want—I'm sure Avatar Aang wouldn't miss one of his past lives for a short while. But if you take me back, she'll be gone for good."

Aang saw Kuruk's composure waiver and he swallowed thickly. Koh seemed to notice as well, capitalizing on his indecision.

"Here, why don't I show you? Maybe that will help you decide."

Koh's shape shifted once again, but just as it began to shrink into the raven-haired form of Kuruk's late wife Ummi, the water bender struck. His fist connected solidly with Koh's jaw, lifting him off his feet and throwing him back against the ground. Before the spirit's unconscious form hit the floor, Kuruk had turned and pushed his way through the crowd of avatars. He nodded to Aang and wordlessly stepped into the pool from which he had come. For a second nothing happened, and then, like a trapdoor had been opened beneath his feet, he dropped beneath the surface and was gone.

The remaining avatars gathered around Koh's motionless body, now in the form of Ummi, and after binding him securely, carried the spirit to the pool and disappeared back into the Spirit World. When all but a few avatars remained, Roku approached Aang.

"Will you be alright?" He asked, smiling slightly.

Aang nodded, for the moment too overwhelmed to speak.

Roku put a hand on his shoulder, "don't worry, Koh won't be bothering anyone for a long time—the Spirits of Old will see to that."

"And you?" Aang asked.

"I have to go back too," Roku said, "the avatars are not meant for this world. One is more than enough." He paused, "But before I go, I wanted to give you this. It's from Kuruk; he said it might be able to help Sokka."

From inside his robes he placed an ancient scroll in Aang's trembling hands.

"And Aang," Roku looked over his shoulder has he stepped into the pool, "I'm proud of you."

And with that, he was gone.

With shaking hands Aang broke the ancient seal of the northern water tribe, and unfurled the scroll. Scanning it quickly his eyes widened and he turned to see Katara cradling Sokka's head in her lap with tears running down her face. The rest of the group was gathered loosely around his body, but no one was moving to help her besides Ana, who rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. Without thinking, Aang ran, sliding to his knees in front of them.

Sokka's face was pale and his breathing shallow and ragged. The venom had taken its toll.

"I did everything I could," Katara cried, her voice weak and trembling. Her shoulders were slumped and her hands fingers were bunched in Sokka's hair.

Toph, however, was manic, pacing back and forth across the cavern floor, ranting under her breath. When Aang approached, she ran to him and grabbed the front of his shirt, "I can't lose him!" She exclaimed, "Do you understand! He can't die!"

A choked sob broke through the usually stoic earth bender's mask. She waivered on her feet and Aang was worried she might collapse when Zuko's strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist, slowly drawing her away from Aang. She fought the Fire Lord for a moment before burying her head in his chest, her shoulders heaving slightly. Aang saw Mai, her head freshly bandaged, come up behind Zuko and together they led Toph a short distance away.

Aang worked quickly, unfurling the scroll and placing it on the dusty ground next to Sokka. Gently, Ana helped Katara set Sokka's body fully on the ground, and they retreated a few steps to wait.

Aang stood and studied the inscriptions and diagrams intently just like he had done with the water bending scroll they'd stolen so long ago. Carefully he took his stance and pulled some water from the surrounding air, encouraged by the fact that he could now feel the power of the avatars inside him once again. Very slowly, he adjusted his hands and allowed the water to slowly encompass Sokka's body from neck to toes while, ever so slightly, he drew on his fire bending to warm the liquid.

After a moment, the cocoon of water began to glow and Aang, still watching the scroll, swirled it ever so slightly. Slowly the water began to take on a darker color, full of dirt and grime, as if it were physically drawing out the venom and rejuvenating Sokka's body. A minute later Aang drew the water away from his friend and let it fall onto the ground. Sokka's skin seemed to glow briefly, then fade to its normal, chocolate brown.

As he lay there, his chest slowly rising and falling, they all held their breath, waiting for a sign. Katara knelt beside him and reached out a trembling hand and laid it on her brother's, squeezing gently.

A minute passed, then Sokka's fingers twitched and gradually curled around Katara's hand. His eyes fluttered open and lips twitched toward a smile as he tried to prop himself up on his elbows.

"Hey sis. Miss me?"

With strangled sob, half joyful, half exasperated, Katara launched herself at Sokka and wrapped him in a tight hug.

"Katara," Ana cautioned softly after a long moment, "I think he needs some space to breath."

Reluctantly, Katara leaned back, her eyes still watery.

"You still need to be careful," Sokka said, laying a hand on hers, "you've been through a lot too." He paused and then glanced up at Aang, "Besides, I think there's someone here that's done quite a lot to find you."

Katara's eyes widened and she looked up. For the first time in months, her gaze truly found Aang's.

Aang was a few yards away, having stood up and moved discreetly off to the side once he had seen that Sokka was coming around. He wanted to give Katara some time with her brother, and truth be told, he wasn't exactly sure how she would react. He wasn't sure how _he_ would react. He had spent so much time and energy looking for her that now, as he stared into her eyes, he was paralyzed. On their journey he had dreamed of countless ways that they would reunite, most of them ending with him sweeping Katara up in his arms. But now that he was here, that the moment had come, his dreams seemed a bit silly.

"A-Aang?" Katara's voice shook slightly as she wobbled to her feet. In the excitement and urgency of healing Sokka, Aang had forgotten how truly weak she was. Ana reached out and steadied, giving her a slight nudge toward Aang.

As she closed the space between them, Aang couldn't help but take her all in. Her coffee-brown skin had lost its usual luster and she was covered in a myriad of bumps and bruises. A shallow cut ran along her hairline and some of her hair was matted with what looked to be dried blood. But despite the fact that her shoulders seemed too prominent and her legs too thin, Aang knew he still loved her.

She stopped in front of him, her eyes searching his face. She reached up a hand as if to cup his cheek, but Aang intercepted it with both of his, clutching it to his chest. Startled, Aang felt her begin to pull away.

"K-Katara," Aang said quietly, his own voice wavering as he refused to let go.

Katara stopped moving at the sound of her name. Her eyes were wide and vulnerable.

"Is…is it really you?" She asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

Aang nodded and swallowed thickly.

Katara took a step forward and ran her fingers lightly over Aang's arm and down to where his hands met hers.

"Shong Ti said that you were dead…that you weren't coming…"

"I came," Aang said. "I'm right here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Katara wrapped her other hand around Aang's two larger ones and seemed to regard him for a long moment. Then, unexpectedly, she rose on her tiptoes and placed a gentle kiss on his lips. The kiss was such a surprise to Aang that he forgot to respond before she had pulled back.

"You're not going anywhere?" She said searchingly.

"There's nowhere I'd rather be," Aang smiled, and this time he bent down and kissed her. Slowly, her hands slipped from his and made their way to his shoulders before entwining around his neck. His hands found their way to her waist as he pulled her closer, not wanting to leave any space between them. For the most blessed of moments there was nothing more—just the two of them. The betrothal necklace he had made so long ago didn't matter; it would have its time. For now, he just needed her and she needed him, and that was enough. They held each other for a long time until Sokka's rather distinct cough broke them apart.

"As much as I enjoy seeing the two of you happy," he smiled, half rolling his eyes, "there's only so much I can take. Besides, I think Katara needs to properly introduce her friend."

Reluctantly, Katara removed her arms from Aang's neck and turned around. She leaned back against his chest and allowed Aang to keep his hands wrapped around her middle.

"This is Ana," Katara said. "She was my cellmate for most of the time Shong Ti had us imprisoned. She helped me survive. She was my only friend."

"But she sai—"

"I think," Ana's voice cut Sokka off, her amber eyes downcast, "that Katara was more of a friend to me than I was to her."

Katara looked confused, "bu—"

"My name isn't Ana."

Her declaration stopped Katara in her tracks, but when she looked, the woman wasn't talking to her, but to Zuko. The Fire Lord, meanwhile, had gone rigid, and his face lost what little color it had outside his scar. Mai had to put a hand on his shoulder to steady him.

"No…"

The woman Katara only knew as Ana chuckled, "it seems like death isn't quite a sure thing these days."

"Zuko?" Toph asked, breaking the silence, "who is she?"

"She's…she's…" he couldn't seem to get the words from his mouth.

"I'm Ursa," the woman said. "His mother."

"Impossible," Zuko muttered under his breath. "Father said you were dead…"

"Ozai said many things," Ursa spat. "Not many of them were true. He lied and manipulated his way to the throne. Why would he be any different now? Though," she added, seemingly as an afterthought, "I'm surprised you didn't kill him when you had the chance."

Aang didn't know if she was talking to Zuko or to him so he remained silent.

"The mother I know wouldn't say that!" Zuko snapped. "My mother was kind and caring. She even loved Azula!"

For a moment Ursa's eyes flashed with pain, but quickly closed down once again. "If you'd seen what I've seen, you would understand, my son."

"And what have you seen?"

"I didn't flee the night I killed Azulon and allowed your father to ascend to the throne. Ozai banished me to this wretched prison because he said I was weak—too weak to lead alongside him. Too weak to mold his children into the Prince and Princess he wanted them to be…even though I had done everything I could to protect them."

"Bu—"

"No Zuko," Ursa cut him off, her voice surprisingly soft, "you need to hear this. After I poisoned Azulon, I confronted Ozai. I told him a true Fire Lord wouldn't have to resort to trickery and deception to ascend to the throne. I told him that the Fire Nation was a proud nation…that our strength lay in the knowledge and understanding of power, not in its manipulation." Ursa closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath, "I thought your father agreed with me—that he'd listen. That night at a party in his honor he drugged my wine. When I finally regained consciousness, I had been bound and thrown in a trunk, already on my way here."

Zuko's jaw was still clinched, but he was listening now, his eyes never leaving his mother's face.

"I tried to escape—many times—but Shong Ti was cunning, and still under Ozai's sway. He was as smart as he was brutal…and he obeyed the Fire Lord without question."

"But why haven't we heard of this place?" Mai asked from over Zuko's shoulder.

Ursa laughed darkly, "This prison is a secret, passed down directly from one Fire Lord to the next. No one else knows about it and the few guards that do…well Shong Ti made sure they never left. Here the Fire Lords would send the most hardened of criminals—those they no longer had any use for but didn't want to kill. The prisoners were tortured with the knowledge that they were going to live out the remainder of their lives in this place, never to see the surface world again. Compared to here, even the Boiling Rock seemed like a vacation."

"And you survived?" Zuko asked.

Ursa sighed, "I survived because even Shong Ti was afraid of Ozai. He never risked putting me with the more violent inmates. Even though the Fire Lord had sent me here, he still didn't want to be responsible for killing his wife. And so," she chuckled wryly, "here I've been, the entire time. When Ozai was defeated, Shong Ti went berserk, killing almost all the guards and some of the prisoners. He raved for days on end, muttering about this and that. I got the impression that Shong Ti never wanted to be here either, but that somehow my husband had coerced him to stay."

"He was brainwashed," Aang said. "Broken and re-educated at a Fire Nation facility."

Ursa nodded, "I'd heard rumors of such a place, though nothing I could ever confirm. Regardless, after Ozai's defeat, Shong Ti started locking himself away for days, barely remembering to come and give me food and water. He kept muttering about something he read in some ancient scrolls. Apparently, this prison also contained some of the Fire Nation's darkest experiments, and it was through one of those scrolls that he managed to contact Koh and begin to recruit for his cause. He used the remaining prisoners as a foundation for his army, slowly building up his forces. But I couldn't tell you how long this continued—Katara was the first human being outside of Shong Ti and the guards that I had seen in years."

Katara, who had been silent throughout Ursa's story, gave Aang's hand a reassuring squeeze before speaking to Zuko, "She was the only friend I had…she kept me alive and gave me hope."

"Shong Ti took me away from Katara after a while…after we tried to escape," Ursa continued. "He wanted her to despair, to know that she was truly alone."

"You have my thanks then," Aang said.

The woman's tired eyes found Aang's and she managed a tight smile—the first Aang had seen since meeting her.

"I am sorry, you know," Ursa said, staring at the cavern floor. "I never wanted to leave anyone…especially you, Zuko. Your father didn't really give me a choice."

Zuko nodded.

"And I'm truly sorry about Azula. I did love her too."

"She had gotten better," Sokka said, still sitting on the ground. "She wasn't quite back to normal, but it was an improvement."

Aang could see Ursa's composure begin to waiver. "It's just been so long…" She said, her voice cracking ever so slightly, "I don't know what to do…don't know how to react."

Ursa gave a slight squeak of surprise when Zuko engulfed her in a hug, his arms gently pulling her close. It was a brief hug and his mother seemed to hesitate before returning it, but it was enough, and Aang could see the hope growing in her eyes.

"Would you like to come back with us?" Zuko asked. "You can live at the palace with Mai and me."

Ursa gave a slight smile, "I…I think I'd like that."

"Well what are we waiting for!" Toph asked, clapping her hands loudly. Aang knew she hadn't fully recovered, but for now she seemed to be putting up a brave front. "Let's get out of here! C'mon Snoozles!"

Aang smiled when Toph grabbed Sokka's hand and forced him to his feet. As the blind earthbender led the way, Sokka in tow, he gave Katara's hand a slight squeeze.

"You ready?" He whispered.

She swallowed thickly, "I think so."

"Then let's go."

* * *

**I know, you're wondering where the Tokka was...be patient...I promise to give you something far more concrete in the Epilogue. Regardless, hope this was a good ending, I know it's been quite a journey for me =) Let me know what you think!**


	40. Epilogue

**Here's your Tokka!  
**

* * *

**Epilogue  
**

_Three Days Later_

"You know Toph," Sokka mused, lounging on one of the Fire Lord's many plush couches, "Aang told me you were pretty worried after I got attacked by Koh."

Toph had been leaning against the couch idly teasing Momo when Sokka spoke. She paused only for a second before continuing to playfully flick the lemur's tail. Thankfully, she was facing away from Sokka so he couldn't see her flush.

"I was mourning the loss of your manliness." She smirked, barely missing a beat.

"My what!" Sokka exclaimed, half sitting up. "I almost died in battle! What's more manly than that!"

"No Snoozles," Toph deadpanned, "you gotten bitten by a snake."

"But it wasn't just any snake!" He said. "It was Koh! The Face Stealer! Ancient Spirit of Doom...and all that stuff…"

"And all that stuff?" Toph rolled her eyes. "Besides, it was still a snake. It's not like you got stabbed."

"It was a life or death struggle!"

"With a snake."

"With an all-powerful spirit!"

"That was a snake."

"Spirit!"

"Whatever," Toph shook her head, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her lips, "it was still a snake."

Sokka groaned loudly and threw his hands in the air. "Are you ever going to let me win?"

"Probably not," Toph said, turning around and punching his arm.

Sokka grimaced but resisted the urge to rub the spot—he didn't want Toph to really think he wasn't manly. But as quickly as their playful banter had started, it faded to a companionable silence. The blind earthbender turned back around and resumed playing with Momo and Sokka, lay back and began to daydream on the couch.

"Hey Toph?" he said abruptly.

"Yeah?" She asked, still distracted by Momo.

"Thanks."

Toph wrinkled her nose, "Thanks for what?"

"I don't know," Sokka said, staring at the ceiling. "I guess I was thinking about the battle and I realized that if I had died…well…Aang would've still had Katara, and Zuko has Mai and his mother…"

"So…what? Are you saying that you don't have anyone?" She asked.

"No, not really," Sokka sighed. "I mean, I know they would always be there for me as best they could, but I don't really _have_ someone. Not anymore. Not like Aang has Katara or Zuko has Mai. Not since Suki."

Momo pawed at Toph's hand, trying to get her to keep scratching his ears. "I'm sure you'll find someone," she said neutrally.

"But that's the thing," Sokka continued. "I don't want just anyone. I want someone who understands me, who accepts me for who I am…not for being that avatar's friend or for what I did in the war."

"I'm sure there'll be someone," Toph muttered.

There was a long pause. "Well…there…" He let his sentence trail off.

"Sokka?" She frowned.

"There is someone," Sokka said, quietly, "but I don't think she notices me."

"Well in case you haven't noticed, you're pretty hard to miss," Toph bit out, suddenly quite irritated. "I'm sure that if you just go up and tell her, you'll be fine."

"You think so?" Sokka asked, pulling himself into a sitting position.

"How would I know!" Toph said suddenly, a startled and very disgruntled Momo shooting from her lap as she stood up. "It's not like I have a lot of experience getting asked out! So go complain to Zuko or Katara if you want, but I'm not the person you should be talking to! Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get something to eat."

Sokka's hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, "Wait…please…just wait. I'm not very good at this sort of thing."

Toph froze when Sokka grabbed her hand, but kept her back to him as he stood up.

"Good at what kind of stuff?"

He ran his free hand through his hair. "The asking out the girl you've liked for a really long time but don't know how to tell her kind of stuff."

Toph froze, her heart rate suddenly skyrocketing. Surely he didn't mean her…

Sokka swallowed thickly, wishing that Toph would turn and face him. At least then he could get some idea as to whether or not he was losing one of his best friends.

"Well?" Toph said, still not looking at him, willing herself to remain calm.

"Well what?"

Finally she turned, her wrist still in his, a tentative blush staining her cheeks as she stared in the direction of Sokka's voice.

"Are you going to ask her?"

"You mean…you mean you will!" The words practically ran from Sokka's mouth.

An exasperated sigh escaped Toph's lips as she struggled to keep a grin from escaping. "You have to ask first, Snoozles."

Sokka blushed. "Oh, right…sorry." He paused, staring up at the ceiling for a moment before looking down into Toph's eyes. Even though he knew she couldn't really see him, he wanted to make sure he did this right. "Sorry," he began again sheepishly. "I'm not really sure where to start. There's just so much to say and yet…I don't know how to say it. You've always been there for me. You understand me and appreciate me for who I am. You're so…so…Toph. And," he blushed a deeper red, hoping his palms weren't too sweaty, "I think you're beautiful."

Even though he hadn't fully acknowledged it before, as the words slipped from his lips, Sokka knew they were right. These weren't idle words for some girl he had just met. He wasn't trying to impress anyone—not that he thought Toph was really that impressed with him to begin with. He was Sokka and she was Toph, and when a big grin finally split her face and she launched herself into his arms, he knew that was enough.

In a wave of giddiness, Sokka spun around, causing Toph to shriek rather uncharacteristically, before pulling them both down on the couch behind him.

"And," he grinned when he finally managed to catch his breath, "I was wondering if you would like to go out with me?

Even though he felt fairly confident she would agree, he still felt his chest constrict when Toph pretended to consider his question. As she lay propped up on his chest, he couldn't help but push a lock of her dark hair out of her face. Hopefully the rapid beating of his heart would be enough for her to know.

"You're sure?" She asked carefully.

Sokka nodded, "Completely."

Toph smiled. That was enough for her. And she pressed her lips to his.

* * *

**So that's it...it's been quite a journey. I didn't get a lot of feedback on the final chapter, but would love some quick thoughts on the entire story if you get this far...or just to know that you did! =) Regardless, I hope you've enjoyed reading it, I know I have had a blast writing, and hopefully I've improved a bit along the way. As always, thanks for reading-it means a ton!  
**

**Until the next story,  
**

**~Toph's Hammer  
**


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